CHARLES GETS A WARM GOODBYE : DREAM TEAM III ROUTS CHINA.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Charles Barkley, introduced as a member of the Phoenix Suns for perhaps the last time, dominated the show Wednesday night when he returned to his home court as a Dream Teamer in a 119-58 romp over China in Phoenix.

Barkley, who expects a trade to Houston to be announced Thursday, was cheered every time he touched the ball. He re-entered for an encore appearance with a minute left after the crowd chanted ``We want Charles!''

The fans then yelled his name once again and gave him a standing ovation as the game ended, and he acknowledged the adulation with a wave. Barkley finished with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Olympic team, playing the third game of a five-game exhibition tour, had no problem doing as it pleased against China.

The United States shot 69 percent, had 24 dunks and scored 44 points off turnovers in the most lopsided game of its tour. The next game is Friday night against Australia in Salt Lake City.

Reggie Miller scored 16 points, Grant Hill had 14 and Scottie Pippen 12. The 61-point final margin was the largest of the game.

The United States opened the game with a fullcourt press, but abandoned it after taking a 9-0 lead and seeing that China had trouble even inbounding against the pressure.

The score was 26-13 by the time China tried a shot from inside, and the only suspense after that was whether anyone on the U.S. squad could match the windmill jam thrown down by Wei-Dong Hu to make it 41-31.

John Stockton made sure of that, getting assists on three consecutive fastbreak dunks by Karl Malone, Pippen and David Robinson in an 11-0 run that built the lead to 19.

Harsh charge: Some members of the International Olympic Committee ``deal in outright bribery and fraud'' when voting for an Olympic host city, says a journalist in a television program to be shown next week.

Andrew Jennings, a British author who has spent years chronicling IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, charges that some of the 106 IOC voters are ``at best along for a joyride, at worst, criminal.''

``The only thing they do, every two years, they have all their presents, all their gifts, all their jetting around the world, having their feet kissed by all the supplicant cities for the Games, they cast their votes about where they'd like to spend their summer holidays,'' Jennings said. ``It's a job-creation scheme.''

The interview, conducted by Frank Deford, is part of the show ``Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel,'' which will be broadcast by HBO on Monday.

Jennings contends some IOC members pressure bidding cities for perks such as college scholarships for their children.

Samaranch said he has no knowledge of attempted bribery by his organization's officials.

Jennings and co-author Vyv Simson were found guilty of criminal libel in 1993 over the book ``The Lords of the Rings'' that details Samaranch's role in the regime of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

Samaranch has run the IOC since 1980. Last year, the IOC changed its age-limit rules to allow Samaranch to seek re-election again in 1997, when he will be 77.

In hiding: Cuba's No. 1 baseball pitcher was in seclusion Wednesday, recovering from the ordeal of his defection and awaiting word on his legal status and his prospects for playing in the major leagues.

``You can imagine what he feels like today after the defection,'' said Rene Guim, a spokesman for the sports agent who helped Rolando Arrojo flee the Cuban Olympic team in Georgia and drive to Miami.

Guim said the pitcher was mentally exhausted after leaving his wife and two children, ages 9 and 1, in Cuba.

Arrojo left the Albany, Ga., hotel Tuesday, where the champion Cuban team was staying while practicing for the Olympics.

Guim declined to name the teams that have called about Arrojo, who is 28, according to Guim. Earlier reports had put his age at 32.

``There is definitely some interest out there already, but negotiations cannot begin until the legal status is resolved,'' Guim said. ``He'd like to become a free agent in a week if he can.''

Cuba's spokesman in Washington criticized Arrojo, saying he was motivated by money and not politics.

``If the major leagues didn't pay money, he wouldn't want to play in the major leagues,'' said Jose Ponce from the Cuban Interests Section in Washington. ``He wants to make several millions.''

Guim said Arrojo was not planning to apply for political asylum in the United States.

``Plans are to go to a third country, more than likely the Dominican Republic,'' Guim said. ``He can then become a free agent.''

Nice track meet: At Nice, France, Wilson Kipketer, the Kenya-born runner who competes for Denmark, ran the fastest 800 meters in 11 years Wednesday in the Nikaia Grand Prix meet.

Kipketer won in 1 minute, 42.51 seconds, less than a second off Sebastian Coe's world record of 1:41.73 set in 1981, now the oldest standing world record.

Joachim Cruz of Brazil, the 1984 Olympic champion, did a 1:42.49 in August 1985.

Kipketer has little chance to compete in the Olympics for Denmark because he is lacking full citizenship and Kenyan Olympic officials have not given him permission to run for Denmark.

World champion Donovan Bailey edged Olympic champion Linford Christie with both timed in a relatively slow 10.17 in the 100 meters.

The slow time didn't disappoint Bailey.

``I am in full-time training while I am over here running races,'' Bailey said. ``I am working on my acceleration.''

Christie had a good start and led Bailey by a meter about a third of the way through the race. Then the Canadian came back to out-lean Christie at the finish line.

Christie recently announced that he will return to defend his Olympic title in the 100. He had hamstring troubles that forced him to withdraw from the Stockholm and Oslo meets in the last five days.

Sonia O'Sullivan of Ireland established the best women's 3,000 time of the year with 8:35.43. She looks to double in the 1,500 and 5,000 in the Olympics.

Lumilla Engquist of Sweden remained unbeaten for the season by winning the 100 hurdles in 12.67. She won the 1991 world title for the Soviet Union before marrying a Swede.

Being safe: Olympic sailors got in a last few hours of practice Wednesday before tying down their boats in anticipation of gale force winds from Hurricane Bertha hitting Wilmington Island, a Savannah, Ga. suburb.

However, the sailors likely will escape Bertha's wallop, with the storm headed for North Carolina.

``The weather's just beautiful,'' said Genevieve White, a spokeswoman at the Olympic yachting venue.

``Precautions were taken. Some boats were secured, but no one is concerned,'' said Basil Hamblin, a spokesman for the Olympic organizers.

National weather radio said the closest the storm was expected to get to Savannah was 180 miles east this afternoon, bringing to the coast seas of 10 to 15 feet, winds of about 40 mph and showers.

Harry Johnquest, spokesman for the Olympic village, said that although the venue was closed Wednesday afternoon and was scheduled to be closed today, it could reopen mid-day.

``The way things are going, it looks pretty good, based on the weather forecast,'' Johnquest said.

He said about 500 athletes and 200 coaches and other team officials were staying at the Marriott Hotel village. All were in a festive mood, with several parties taking place Wednesday night.

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Photo

Photo: Sweden's Ludmila Engquist surges to a win in the 100 -meter hurdles in Nice, France. Engquist will be a prime challenger to U.S. star Gail Devers in the event at Atlanta.

Associated Press