OMAHA — Michael Phelps won’t be the only Olympic story line in men’s swimming. The U.S. men are trying to become the greatest team in American history, and Phelps says they can start with the 800-meter freestyle relay.
Phelps, seeking to break Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of seven gold medals in one Olympiad, led a lightning-fast 200 freestyle Tuesday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials. While Natalie Coughlin and Aaron Peirsol broke world records, Phelps didn’t break his own in the 200. But he didn’t care.
His 1:44.10 led four swimmers under 1:46.21 — all faster than the sixth-fastest time in the world this year. After Phelps, who clocked the world’s best time for 2008, came Peter Vanderkaay (1:45.85), Ricky Berens (1:46.14) and Klete Keller (1:46.20).
That doesn’t include Ryan Lochte, whose personal best of 1:45.61 was the world’s best before Tuesday. He scratched to concentrate on Tuesday’s 100 backstroke. Lochte already made the team Sunday in the 400 individual medley and is eligible for the relay.
“Our relay potentially could be the best four guys that have ever swam the 800 free relay,” Phelps said. “That’s by far the fastest 200 free field I’ve ever been in.”
Two more world marks fall.
Coughlin’s and Peirsol’s world records bring the total in Omaha to six after only three days, matching Australia’s number in its Olympic trials. Coughlin beat the 100 backstroke record (59.03) she set Monday with a 58.97. Peirsol broke his 2007 world record (52.98) in the 100 backstroke with a 52.89.
“After (Monday) morning’s swim, I was a little bit more tired than I thought I would be going into finals, and I’m so glad I got through finals because this is my first double of the season,” said Coughlin, who also qualified for tonight’s 200 individual medley final. “I think I’m over the hump of the meet, and it’s all downhill from here.”
Margaret Hoelzer took second by nipping Hayley McGregory, who missed a spot on the Olympic team despite breaking the world mark Monday one heat before Coughlin.
In the other final, Jessica Hardy won the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.87. Megan Jendrick beat Tara Kirk for the second spot by 0.01.
Franklin second in heat.
Centennial’s Missy Franklin, at 13 the second-youngest swimmer at the Olympic Trials, finished 40th in the 200 individual medley Tuesday in a personal best of 2:18.77. It beat her previous best of 2:19.12.
“I was a little nervous coming in, especially when I heard the 8,000 people,” Franklin said. “I just got out there and just got up on the blocks and was focusing and it’s just another pool and just another race.”
Did she believe it? “Yeah, except for the spectators,” she said. “They outnumbered the other meets by a little.”
Franklin led her heat after the backstroke — the halfway point — but fell behind winner Sarah Henry in the breaststroke and stood fourth going into the final 50. But a strong kick in the freestyle gave Franklin second place in her heat, 3.09 seconds behind the qualifying mark for the semis.
John Henderson, The Denver Post
