In brief: Phelps sinks 200-meter record set by Thorpe

On a golden night in the pool for the Americans, no one was better than Michael Phelps.

He became the first man in history to go less than 1 minute, 44 seconds in the 200-meter freestyle at the world championships, breaking Ian Thorpe’s revered world record on the home turf of the retired star.

The 21-year-old American led all the way and touched the wall in 1:43.86.

Thorpe’s mark was 1:44.06, set at the 2001 world meet in Fukuoka, Japan.

“That was probably the single most incredible record in the books,” American backstroker Aaron Peirsol said. “He put it to rest.”

The crowd at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, had barely caught its breath from Phelps’ spectacular effort when American Natalie Coughlin broke her world mark of 59.58 seconds with a time of 59.44 in the 100 backstroke.

Basketball

Pearl stays put

Bruce Pearl said he’s happy at Tennessee and won’t consider leaving now.

The men’s coach was contacted by Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, who got clearance the night before from Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton to talk to Pearl, a former Iowa assistant.

Pearl told Barta he was not leaving Tennessee.

“Niagara coach Joe Mihalich agreed to a multiyear contract extension.

“Jeff Walz was hired as the women’s coach at Louisville after spending the last five seasons as a Maryland assistant.

“Duke has given Texas permission to speak to Gail Goestenkors about replacing retired Hall of Famer Jody Conradt as the Longhorns’ women’s coach, a Duke team official said.

Tennis

Top seeds bounced

Guillermo Canas upset top-ranked Roger Federer for the second time this month, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-6 (5) in a fourth-round match at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Serena Williams beat No. 1 seed Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1, in a rout.

“Rafael Nadal will skip Spain’s Davis Cup quarterfinal match against the United States next month because of a lingering foot injury.

Auto racing

Vickers burns feet

Brian Vickers suffered second-degree burns to his feet when an exhaust pipe broke midway through the 500-mile race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

Miscellany

U.S. turns to experience

The U.S. women’s hockey team decided to go with experience in the World Championships next month in Manitoba, adding 10 Olympians to the roster.

“Portland State University hired Michael “Torre” Chisholm to be its athletic director.

“The South Korean city of Daegu was awarded the 2011 World Athletics Championships, and Moscow will host the track and field event in 2013.