In brief

Australian sets world record at swim meet

By wire services
Published July 28, 2005

MONTREAL - Grant Hackett of Australia set a world record in winning the 800-meter freestyle at the World Swimming Championships on Wednesday night.

Hackett's time of 7 minutes, 38.65 seconds lowered the mark of 7:39.16 set by countryman Ian Thorpe at the 2001 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Hackett finished about a half-second ahead of silver medalist Larsen Jensen of the U.S.

Meanwhile, the U.S. remained on course for another world title in women's water polo, rallying from a two-goal deficit to beat Russia 10-8 in a semifinal as Brenda Villa scored three goals.

The U.S. will meet either Canada or Hungary in the gold-medal game Friday.

It's official - Antonio Tarver will meet Roy Jones Jr. on Oct. 1.

Jones signed the papers Wednesday, clearing the final obstacle and setting up a third meeting between the fighters. Though no location has been announced for the HBO pay-per-view, it will take place in Las Vegas or Memphis. Tarver said he'd prefer the fight be at Mandalay Bay, where the fighters split the first two bouts.

Maurice Greene leads a powerful U.S. squad at the world track and field championships.

The U.S. squad includes 27 Olympic medalists and is even younger than the youth-dominated team that won a surprising 25 medals at the Athens Games. USA Track and Field has set a target of 17 to 29 medals at the world championships, to be held Aug. 6-14 in Helsinki, Finland.

Greene, a three-time world champion and 2000 Olympic champion in the 100, is part of the men's 400-meter relay, along with DaBryan Blanton, Monzavous Edwards, Mark Jelks and Mardy Scales.

BALCO: The last of the BALCO Laboratories defendants struck a deal with federal prosecutors, ending any chance of the explosive drug case going to trial. Still, track and field coach Remi Korchemny, 72, of Castro Valley, Calif., could face a ban from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after agreeing to plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of misbranding the sleep-disorder medication modafinil. Korchemny's attorney said the government would recommend probation.

CYCLING: Colombian reporter Alberto Martinez, 50, was killed when his car crashed on a sharp mountain bend while he was doing a live broadcast of the Tour de Colombia.

SOCCER: Sergio Galvan Rey snapped a tie in the 74th minute off a perfect pass from Ante Razov as the host MetroStars rallied to beat FC Dallas 3-2. ... Los Angeles and host New England played to a 1-1 tie on goals by Herculez Gomez and Shalrie Joseph.

TENNIS: Mariano Zabaleta upset top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) in the second round of the Generali Open in Kitzbuehel, Austria.

Times staff writer John Cotey contributed to this report, which used information from the Associated Press.

[Last modified July 28, 2005, 01:10:15]