World's top sprinters agree to showdown
By TIMES WIRES
Published June 7, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS - The world's fastest men will finally face each other on the track.
Co-world record holders Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell will race in the 100 meters at the London Grand Prix on July 28, USA Track & Field said Tuesday.
The two were scheduled to race at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England, on Sunday. But Gatlin's agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, pulled him out of the meet, saying there never was a contract for the Olympic champion to run against Powell.
Gatlin tied Powell's mark of 9.77 seconds in Qatar on May 12. The American initially posted a world-record mark of 9.76, but it was changed five days later because of a timing mistake. Powell set the mark in June 2005 in Athens, Greece.
PRIMO NEBIOLO MEMORIAL:Russian Tatyana Lebedeva won the triple jump with a leap of 49 feet, 21/2 inches at the meet in Italy. American Bershawn Jackson won the men's 400-meter hurdles in 48.73 seconds. Olympic champion Stefan Holm took the men's high jump, clearing 7-61/2, and Brad Walker won the pole vault (18-81/2).
Other winners included Robby Hughes in the 110 hurdles (13.48) and Rodney Martin in the 200 (20.42).
SOCCER L.A. Galaxy coach firedThe Los Angeles Galaxy fired coach Steve Sampson with the team in last place and on a six-game losing streak in Major League Soccer. Assistant Billy McNicol will serve as interim coach.
The Galaxy, who have won two of 11 games, have yet to win at home and are three points behind local rival Chivas USA in the Western Conference standings.
Sampson took over as the Galaxy's fourth coach in August 2004 and led them to championships in the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup last season. He had a 17-10-24 record, with a 4-1-2 playoff mark.
OUTDOORS Competitive hunting tour to begin in fallThe World Hunting Association announced plans to create a competitive hunting tour around the world, with the inaugural season beginning this fall at the Lost Arrow Ranch in Gladwin, Mich.
David Farbman is the WHA's founder, commissioner and CEO. Farbman and a group of investors are funding the initiative, which offers more than $500,000 in prize money for the first two tournaments.
Hunters will shoot white-tail deer and other game with tranquilizers, which should not kill the animals.
OLYMPICS Security not on agenda at planning meetingsVenue construction and marketing - but not security - are on the agenda during this week's meetings in British Columbia between the IOC and organizers of 2010 Winter Games.
The recent arrests of 17 people in Toronto with possible links to terrorism has raised security concerns for the 2010 Games. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Vancouver police department and the Department of National Defence are among those handling Olympic security.
ET CETERA AUTOS:Michelin, which triggered a boycott of last year's U.S. Grand Prix by seven Formula One teams, is planning a series of events before this year's race. They include an autograph session with drivers and a fan session with 2005 F1 champion Fernando Alonso.
CYCLING:Philippe Gilbert won the second stage of the Dauphine Libere and took the overall lead in France. Gilbert finished in 4 hours, 45 minutes, 53 seconds.
HORSES:After seeing Barbaro recovering from surgery in the hospital's pool, the University of Notre Dame master's swim team made a donation for pool maintenance.