Gatlin, Powell Will Race Next Month in London

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 Sunday at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England. 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. Gatlin 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.

Powell said before the announcement that he was looking forward to the head-to-head meeting. Last year at the London Grand Prix, Powell pulled up with a groin injury and Gatlin won the race in 9.89.

“It’s good for the sport and people are anticipating our meeting,” Powell said from London. “It’s like a boxing match -- people need to see us go up against each other, and it’s good for us and the other athletes because it draws a lot more people. London is a very good track and I want to achieve something special there.”

PRO FOOTBALL

McNair’s Agent Asks Titans to Make a Move

Steve McNair’s agent said it’s time the Tennessee Titans do something with their quarterback.

“Keep him under the contract he has, trade him, cut him or start trying to get a new deal done with the starting point being what’s on the table from the Ravens,” agent Bus Cook said, referring to an offer McNair has received from Baltimore. “They don’t want to do any of those things.”

Titans General Manager Floyd Reese declined to respond to Cook’s comments and has said the goal is to keep McNair in Tennessee.

But the situation has been at a stalemate since April 3, when the Titans told the 2003 co-most valuable player he couldn’t work out on their property without a cheaper deal because they worried about the liability from a $23.46 million salary cap hit if he got hurt.

McNair won the right to return last week from an arbitrator. But the Titans told him in a letter he had to take a physical before being allowed to work out.

Brett Favre was back on the field, a day after being held out of a voluntary practice.

Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said he planned to hold the quarterback out of Monday’s practice all along -- despite comments last week that led most to believe Favre would take part in all four practices this week. Favre worked out Monday but didn’t practice with the team.

“I never said he would practice all four days. Him practicing all four days was never the intention, ever,” McCarthy said.

The New Orleans Saints traded linebacker Courtney Watson to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for tight end Tim Euhus.

MISCELLANY

Hollowell Lifts Arizona to NCAA Softball Title

Arizona won the Women’s College World Series with a 5-0 victory over Northwestern at Oklahoma City.

Alicia Hollowell threw her third shutout in a row to complete Arizona’s two-game sweep.

Hollowell struck out 13 to pass UCLA’s Debbie Doom for the most strikeouts in a Women’s College World Series. She finished with 64 in six games, two more than Doom had in 1982.

The New Jersey Nets have exercised the option on Coach Lawrence Frank’s contract for the 2007-2008 season.

Maryland junior forward Ekene Ibekwe has withdrawn from this year’s NBA draft and is enrolled for summer classes, the school announced.

Keith Cieplicki, who spent a tumultuous three seasons as the Syracuse women’s basketball coach, resigned.

Irene Cho, a USC senior, has been chosen the nation’s top collegiate female golfer for 2006. Cho’s victory will earn her the Honda Award, given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic nomination for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

Staciana Winfield, a 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter medley relay, was named an assistant swimming coach at USC.

John Hawks, an assistant the last four years at UC Irvine, has been named an assistant men’s volleyball coach at USC.

Monte Gonzales, who was the MVP of the 1958 USC basketball team, died in Bakersfield. He was 75.

Rickie Fowler of Murrieta Valley set a tournament record with an eight-under-par 64 and won the state golf championship at Santa Maria Country Club.

Rory Hie of Cerritos, winner of the section and regional championships this year, shot 69 and tied for fourth. Concord De La Salle won the team title with a five-player score of 363, one stroke better than San Diego Cathedral. La Verne Damien, the only Southland team that qualified, shot 382 and was fourth.