Phelps Charges on, Setting 3rd Record And in Men's 100-Meter, Shared Gold Swimming

Mar 30, 10:17 AM

Current Headlines: By Christopher Clarey

There is the underwater world of Michael Phelps, one where records and gold medals are acquired seemingly at will. There is the underwater world of everyone else, where the outcomes are much more in doubt. Thursday night, the fifth night of these world championships, provided the latest evidence, as the phenomenal Phelps blew past his third world record in three days by winning the 200-meter individual medley in 1 minute 54.98 seconds.

Later, as he moved through the mixed zone, speaking in his reedy baritone to the television crews and reporters, eight talented but less exceptional swimmers took the plunge to contest the men's 100- meter.

By the time, they had made the turn and thrashed back to where they started, Filippo Magnini of Italy had defended his world title and Brent Hayden of Canada had won his first.

Confused? Don't be. Magnini and Hayden finished in an identical time of 48.43 seconds, which meant that, for the first time in the history of the world championships, two men were obliged to share a gold medal.

On the podium, Canada's anthem was heard first; followed by Italy's.

"I'm on top of the world," said Hayden, pausing for effect. "With Filippo."

In truth, it was rather crowded around the summit, because the next three finishers were within one-tenth of a second of the winners, the Australian Eamon Sullivan taking the bronze in 48.47, just ahead of Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil and Jason Lezak of the United States.

Pieter van den Hoogenband, the Dutchman who has won the previous two Olympic titles in this event, could do no better than sixth in 48.63 seconds after getting off to the second slowest start in the field.

"I was only two-tenths from the world title," he said. "If I keep up the good work and get myself in better shape, I can still go for the dream of three times in a row."

Predictably, it was not long before Van den Hoogenband was being asked to comment on Phelps's achievements instead of his own. "As a fan of my sport of swimming, he's doing a fantastic job," he said. "We as swimmers have to respect it."

Others put it more colorfully.

"Michael is just a phenomenon, like a mutant or something," said the American breaststroker Tara Kirk. "He's just going for best times now, and they happen to be world records."

Phelps, headphones and game face firmly in place until shortly before each race, is now halfway through what could turn out to be the finest single-meet performance in history.

In his first four events, he has won four gold medals and set world records in the 200 free, 200 butterfly and, now the 200 individual medley. He also recorded a personal best in the opening leg of the 4-by-100 freestyle relay.

The dynamic is similar to that of the 2003 world championships in Barcelona, where Phelps broke five world records, the most ever by a man in one meet.

"I'm definitely getting in a groove a little bit more; I'm feeling a lot, a lot better in the water, and I'm racing better," Phelps said. "I've done four best times in back-to-back-to-back days and it's been a while since I've done that, since 2003. So I think I'm on that track, yes, but I'm only halfway done."

It bears remembering that Phelps won only three gold medals in Spain and could end up with as many as eight here. "Anything is possible if you put your mind to it," Phelps said. "I've had a good attitude coming into this meet, a good attitude throughout, and I've been successful. I'll stick with what works."

Phelps's American teammate Leila Vaziri stuck with what worked in the 50-meter backstroke and equaled the world record she set in the semifinals by winning in 28.16 seconds. The 50 back is not an Olympic event and thus not as prestigious as the races over the classic distances, but Vaziri, who is competing in her first major championships, looked no less delighted as she celebrated in lane four.

Jessicah Schipper of Australia won the 200 butterfly ahead of Kimberly Vandenberg of the United States and Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland.

But the evening's program ended with yet another world record from the Americans, this time in the women's 4-by-200 relay. Natalie Coughlin set the tone and established a hefty lead on the opening leg of 1:56.43, and her teammates, Dana Vollmer, Lacey Nymeyer and Katie Hoff, never gave any indication that they might surrender it.

Though the Americans, with a different cast, had nearly failed to qualify for the final in the morning, their A team finished in 7:50.09, which is 73-hundredths of a second faster than the world record set by the Germans at the European championships last year.

The Germans settled for second this time, followed by France, whose anchor-leg swimmer, Laure Manaudou, now has four medals. So does Coughlin, who looks well placed for a fifth after swimming the second fastest 100 freestyle time in history in the semifinals.

But only Phelps has four gold medals, and his dominance is not only changing the record books. It is changing plans, including those of Van den Hoogenband, who is leaning toward focusing all his efforts on the 100 free and leaving the 200 free to Phelps, who overwhelmed by breaking Ian Thorpe's six-year-old world record.

"I was next to him; I know how fast that is," Van den Hoogenband said of Phelps's time of 1:43.86. "You have to be realistic. I was with Ian Thorpe the only one swimming 1:44, but Michael went from 1:45 straight to 1:43. I don't think in 18 months' time I will make that big step, so you have to be honest and pick your race."

Phelps had a big hint this was coming in February when he broke the 200 butterfly world record with, in his own words, "a full goatee and hair coming out of my cap."

"That surprised me and shocked me a little bit and right then and there, I thought that something special could happen this year," he said.

Phelps was ahead of world-record pace after each leg of the 200 individual medley, but his American teammate Ryan Lochte was able to cut into his lead on the third leg, which featured Phelps's weakest stroke, the breaststroke. At the turn, Phelps's lead was less than half a second.

"I was hoping to God he wasn't going to do a farther kick-out than I was, because that would have made the race a lot more interesting," Phelps said.

Instead, Phelps surfaced in front and in style and went on to win by 1.21 seconds.

Calling this race suspenseful would be an exaggeration. But there could be suspense ahead.

In the four events that Phelps is expected to contest, he will be the heavy favorite to win gold in the 400 individual medley and, assuming he swims them, the 4-by-200 freestyle relay and medley relay. The only true question mark is the 100 butterfly, in which his fellow American Ian Crocker holds the world record.

"I want to do a best time in that event; I haven't done one since 2003 in the 100 fly," Phelps said. "I'm excited to get in the water and race again. I've showed I have more speed now than I really ever have, so hopefully this time, he doesn't beat me by a body length in the 100."

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