In Brief

SWIMMING

Phelps edges Lochte at Olympic trials

Getting back at rival Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps stretched out to win a thrilling 200-meter freestyle final at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials Wednesday night in Omaha, Neb., setting up a duel in London that just gets more tantalizing with every race between the world's two greatest swimmers.

Lochte won the 400 individual medley on the opening night of the trials, his third straight major victory over the winningest Olympian ever. But Phelps isn't going down that easily.

He got off to a stronger start than usual, leading at the first turn and holding the advantage through all four laps. Both swimmers got a big boost off the final turn, cutting through the water like missiles, and Lochte went stroke for stroke down the stretch. But Phelps stretched out his right arm at the wall, touching just ahead of Lochte. The winning time was 1 minute, 45.70 seconds - five-hundredths of a second ahead of Lochte.

Phelps' win was even more impressive given that he came back 40 minutes later to post the third-fastest qualifying time in the 200 butterfly.

Missy Franklin left no doubt that she is swimming's next big star with a stunning performance in the 100 backstroke, signaling a changing of the guard in an event Natalie Coughlin captured at the last two Olympics.

Coming back to the pool just 20 minutes after qualifying for the final of the 200 freestyle, the 17-year-old chased down Coughlin on the return lap to win with an American record of 58.85. Coughlin got off to a typically strong start and was under world-record pace at the turn. But the 29-year-old couldn't hold off two teenagers. Eighteen-year-old Rachel Bootsma got past the 11-time Olympic medalist, as well, claiming the second Olympic spot in 59.49.

PRO BASKETBALL

Pacers' Bird confirms plan to exit

Larry Bird is calling it quits with the Indiana Pacers.

Bird, perhaps the most respected and beloved basketball figure in a state obsessed with the sport, will leave his job as the Pacers' president of basketball operations at the end of August. He spent four years building the team into an Eastern Conference contender and was this season's NBA Executive of the Year, but is instead moving on after saying just a month ago that he was willing to stay.

Bird said health issues were among the reasons for his departure. He said he might need shoulder surgery and cited longstanding issues with his back.

"I just think it's time," he said at a news conference as the team announced an executive reorganization.

Also: The Milwaukee Bucks acquired veteran center Samuel Dalembert from the Houston Rockets in a trade the day before the NBA Draft. The Bucks said they got Dalembert, along with the 14th overall pick in today's draft, a future second-round pick and cash considerations from Houston in exchange for forwards Jon Brockman and Jon Leuer, guard Shaun Livingston and the 12th pick.

MISCELLANEOUS

USA Track delays plan to settle tie

USA Track and Field officials said they will wait until after the women's 200-meter dash Saturday night at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore., to finalize plans for breaking a tie for third place in the 100 meters.

Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh finished the 100-meter final this past weekend in a dead heat for third. The top three finishers in each event at the trials make the U.S. Olympic team for London.

Felix and Tarmoh are both running in the 200.

The tie will be resolved either by coin flip or runoff. The decision could come Saturday night or Sunday morning, officials said.

Bobby Kersee, who coaches both athletes, wants a Tuesday runoff race, should that be the option his sprinters choose. Kersee said that would allow adequate recovery time.

Also: The PGA Tour's AT&T National, an event hosted by Tiger Woods, tees off today at Congressional in Bethesda, Md., and it promises to be challenging. Last year's U.S. Open was held at Congressional, and the course layout is similar. In fact, Congressional, with tight fairways and thick rough, looks more like a U.S. Open course than the U.S. Open did last year.

The PGA Tour announced another important sponsorship, agreeing to a 10-year deal with Web.com as the sponsor of its developmental tour. The Web.com Tour will immediately replace what had been known as the Nationwide Tour.

Former NFL executive Eddie Jones, who spent 10 years as president of the Miami Dolphins, died at age 74 in Miami, the team announced. No cause was immediately given.