NEW YORK -- The Boston Marathon bombing was selected the sports story of the year Friday in an annual vote conducted by The Associated Press. Vente Air Max Plus . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Authorities say brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, ethnic Chechens from Russia who emigrated to the United States as children, planned and carried out the bombings in retaliation for U.S. involvement in Muslim countries. Ninety-six ballots were submitted from U.S. editors and news directors. Voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story receiving 10 points, the second-place story nine points and so on. The marathon attack received 761 points and 67 first-place votes. It was also second in APs national/international story of the year poll. The No. 2 sports story, Lance Armstrongs admission of doping, had five first-place votes and 517 points. The top five stories were grim: terrorism, performance-enhancing drug use, legal settlements, murder charges. The first on-field action came in at No. 6 -- the Boston Red Soxs worst-to-first World Series title, though even that was tinged by the citys heartache less than seven months earlier. Here are 2013s top 10 stories: 1. BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS: The throngs of spectators lining the streets at a storied big-city marathon were once a wholesome scene of civic pride and friendly support. Aprils attack came as a haunting reminder that the crowds at a high-profile event are also a vulnerable target. Bag searches and metal detectors were a common sight at games the rest of the year. As victims persevere on prosthetic limbs, the 118th edition of the worlds oldest marathon is set for the spring, with security undoubtedly heightened but runners determined to take part. 2. LANCE ARMSTRONG: The disgraced cyclist was also the No. 2 sports story last year. In 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency stripped him of his record seven Tour de France titles, releasing mounds of evidence that he used PEDs to win them. In January, after years of defiant denials, Armstrong finally admitted it, telling Oprah Winfrey: "Its this myth, this perfect story, and it wasnt true." 3. NFL CONCUSSION SETTLEMENT: The NFLs settlement of lawsuits brought by thousands of former players will cost the league $765 million but wont end the turmoil over head injuries in football -- or the litigation. The retirees, who had accused the NFL of concealing the long-term dangers of concussions, will be eligible for compensation for certain neurological ailments. The league did not admit to any wrongdoing after mediation resulted in a settlement in August. 4. BASEBALL DRUG BANS: Alex Rodriguezs 211-game suspension was the longest of the 13 announced in August for players connected to a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned PEDs. The Yankees slugger was the only one to contest the penalty, and the year ends with an arbitrator yet to rule. In July, Ryan Braun, the 2011 NL MVP who had previously denied using banned substances, accepted a 65-game suspension. 5. HERNANDEZ ARREST: On Jan. 20, New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had nine catches for 83 yards in an AFC championship game loss to Baltimore. Just more than five months later, he was charged with murder. Prosecutors accuse him of shooting a friend to death on a secluded gravel road for talking to the wrong people at a nightclub. Hernandez awaits trial amid revelations of a history of violence by the player. 6. RED SOX WIN: Bostons 2011 season ended with a collapse and tales of fried chicken and beer in the clubhouse; 2012 ended with a last-place finish and 93 losses. New manager John Farrell and his bearded sluggers embraced "Boston Strong" and tied for the best record in the majors in a turnaround few predicted. With timely hits up and down the lineup throughout the playoffs, the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals in six games for their third World Series title in a decade. 7. RAVENS SUPER: The power came back on, and Baltimore held on. Ravens coach John Harbaugh beat younger brother Jims San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in the Super Bowl in an unprecedented sibling showdown. But the game will be remembered most for the 34-minute outage at the Superdome in New Orleans. Baltimore star linebacker Ray Lewis rode into retirement with a ring. 8. AWESOME AUBURN: The Tigers turnaround from a 3-9 record to the national title game was stunning enough. Even more shocking was how they did it. A deflected 73-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left gave Auburn a 43-38 win over Georgia on Nov. 16. The play that ended their next game will go down as one of the most memorable in college football history: Chris Davis return of a missed field goal attempt more than 100 yards to beat No. 1 Alabama 34-28. 9. TEO HOAX: Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Teo struggled in Notre Dames lopsided loss to Alabama in the national title game Jan. 7. Nine days later, his name became forever linked to a most bizarre sports story. That tragic tale about his girlfriends death told over and over as the linebacker starred for an undefeated team? She didnt exist. Teo insisted he was duped into believing the woman he never met in person was real. 10. HEAT TITLE: One more free throw or one more defensive rebound, and the San Antonio Spurs prevent Miami from repeating as champion. Instead, Ray Allen made one of the biggest shots in NBA Finals history, knocking down a second-chance 3-pointer with 5 seconds left to send Game 6 to overtime. The Heat won in the extra period and again in Game 7 to give LeBron James another title. Chaussures Vans Old Skool Pas Cher .J. -- All those records, all for naught. Vapormax Pas Cher Chine . The Detroit Tigers closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning Wednesday night against the Dodgers. http://www.airmaxpaschervente.fr/ . Wawrinka, who is seeded fourth, is in the top half of the draw with Serbian Novak Djokovic. The Swiss star outlasted Djokovic in a five-set quarterfinal thriller last year and stunned Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the final to capture his first-ever Grand Slam title.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Rookie Juwan Thompson gave a big boost to the Broncos thin running back rotation by participating in all of Fridays final tuneup for the New York Jets.Coach John Fox says Thompson had a good week of practice, and were counting on him for the game.The undrafted rookie from Duke hurt his knee Sunday against Arizona. He missed Wednesdays workout and was limited Thursday.With starter Montee Ball sidelined by a groin injury, Ronnie Hillman got most of the snaps with the starters this week and is to make his first NFL start Sunday. Thompson and C.J. Anderson will divvy up the rest of the carries.The Broncos brought in veterans Mikel Leshoure and LaRod Stephens-Howling for tryouts Tuesday but decided to stick with Balls three backups for now.Ive been very pleased with the way theyve gone about their business, Fox said.Thompson was hurt late in the third quarter Sunday after Ball had already left. Nike Tn Pas Cher En France. But with Anderson inactive, he returned in the fourth quarter and scored his first career touchdown on an 8-yard run.I didnt know what to do when I got in there, Thompson said. It was so unexpected because I wasnt expected to play the rest of the game. But I had to step up when Montee went down.The Broncos running game has struggled this season, with two dozen carries either going for no gain or negative yardage. Denver faces another tough run defence Sunday a€” the Jets rank sixth in the league.Im still a rookie, Thompson said. So every team is going to be a top-five defence to me because Im still getting used to the speed of the game and those guys up front.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '