Farewell, with a bang Brisbane Goodwill Games organizers are planning a multi-phase closing gala Sunday evening, with live music, fireworks launched from a floating platform on the Brisbane River, and a laser show using technology imported from Germany. Two celebrated Australian entertainers are on the marquee for the finale, vocalist Vanessa Amorosi, and the group INXS with Jon Stevens. Additionally, spectators will witness a flood light spectacle after dark and a helicopter “fly over”.

The battle for skating supremacy at the Goodwill Games was nearly decided by a bloody nose Saturday night. Fortunately for Russia’s Irina Slutskaya, an ill-timed medical emergency did not follow her out of the dressing room. Once safely on the ice, she delivered a knockout punch.

Both Slutskaya and the woman who defeated her in March for the world title, America’s Michelle Kwan, introduced never-before-seen programs at the Brisbane Entertainment Center, and it was Slutskaya who responded best to debut anxiety. She earned the gold medal with technical marks superior to those given Kwan, who was second in the free skate and the overall silver medallist. This marked the third time Slutskaya has edged Kwan in an international event since last November. Japan’s Fumie Suguri won the Goodwill bronze medal.

Slutskaya’s victory completed a sweep of the skating gold medals for Russia at these Games. Earlier Saturday, Russians and two-time Goodwill Games silver medallists Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh finally captured the ice dance title.

While Slutskaya was trying to stem a nosebleed backstage, Kwan unveiled the long program created by new choreographer Sarah Kawahara to strengthen her bid for the 2002 Olympic title next year. It showcases the refinement and maturity that is now an expected part of the Kwan package, but the 1998 Olympic runner-up was not competition-tuned Saturday.

“It’s hard to debut a program,” said Kwan, heading off to Sydney for a two-day vacation. “Hopefully, by the end of the season, I can pull it all together. It’s like knitting – a little here, a little there. Lots of tweaking.”

The first thing her coach, Frank Carroll, wants tweaked is Kwan’s physical conditioning. That came into play in the middle of the program when the 21-year-old UCLA student only delivered one revolution of a triple flip jump, and later when she diluted a triple loop jump to a double.

“You have to do all the triples,” said Carroll. “She’s not in shape yet. It was sluggish.”

So the Slutskaya-Kwan story line continues, though the Russian champion likely would prefer to eliminate the blood. She spent the moments before her performance stuffing tissue into her right nostril. It worked and, better yet, Slutskaya said, “I was thinking so much about my nose, it made my nerves fly away.”

SIGHTED: TNT’s basketball analyst Hubie Brown in the crowd at Saturday’s skating competition, perhaps wondering why nobody plays any defense in this sport.

NOT SIGHTED: American skater Angela Nikodinov, who withdrew from the women’s final after being diagnosed with viral conjunctivitis that was causing blurred vision in her left eye.

OVERTIME DRAMA IN HOOPS: A USA-Argentina Goodwill Games basketball final is on for Sunday afternoon, and it will be seen live in the United States beginning at 12 midnight ET during the TNT Late Night Show.

Brazil came within a few errors of ending the USA’s gold medal quest in Saturday’s semifinal before succumbing 106-98 in overtime. With a pro-Brazil crowd notching up the volume as an upset loomed, the Brazilians opened a 96-94 lead with 3:20 remaining in the extra period on a three-pointer by guard Helio Filho, who also nailed one with 40.7 seconds left in regulation to force OT. He finished with 24 points.

But in the closing moments, Brazil committed several costly turnovers, and Flip Saunders’ team responded, going inside for a pair of easy dunks by Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana Pacers). Guard Andre Miller (Cleveland Cavaliers) contributed six points in the final three minutes.

“You can tell kids they can’t let down, but when they are winning games by 30, 40, or 74 points (in a 132-58 victory earlier against Mexico), there is tendency to have some slippage,” said Saunders, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ head coach. “Sometimes you need games like this to wake them up.”

Said guard Baron Davis (Charlotte Hornets): “Our mission and our motive (against Argentina) has got to be to play good defense. We can’t take anybody lightly.”

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