• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Phelps Advances in 200-Meter Medley

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 August 2004, 06:00 CDT

ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps, seeking his sixth medal of the Athens Olympics, advanced in the 200-meter individual medley Wednesday with a conservative swim. The world record holder and heavy favorite for gold, Phelps was second-quickest with a preliminary time of 2 minutes, 0.01 seconds.

The 19-year-old from Baltimore didn't get to sleep until 2 a.m. after helping the Americans win gold over Australia in the 800 freestyle relay.

"There's a lot of emotion around from last night," Phelps said. "I'm a little tired, but I'll get a nap and I'll be better tonight."

Phelps remained on track to win his third individual gold - and fourth overall - to go with the two bronze medals he won in the first four days of the swimming competition. His personal haul is the largest so far of any athlete in Athens.

Laszlo Cseh of Hungary was the only qualifier under 2 minutes, leading the way in 1:59.50. George Bovell of Trinidad was third in 2:00.65.

Ryan Lochte, of Daytona Beach, Fla., was 10th in 2:01.41 to make the evening semifinal. Massimiliano Rosolino of Italy, the defending Olympic champion, was 11th in 2:01.56.

Lochte swam a leg on the winning 800 free relay Tuesday. Anchor Klete Keller just touched out Aussie Ian Thorpe at the wall in the second-closest finish in Olympic history.

"It was a little rough this morning, but I got a lot left," said Lochte.

The Americans' relay victory excited the rest of their teammates.

"It definitely makes the team pumped up, fired up, ready to go," said Amanda Beard, who qualified in the 200 breaststroke.

The U.S. women advanced to this evening's 800 freestyle relay final with the fastest time of 8:00.81. Britain qualified second and Australia third.

Lindsay Benko led off for the Americans, then Rhi Jeffrey briefly dropped them to second before Carly Piper got them back in first.

Rachel Komisarz brought it home with the fastest 200 split of 1:59.25, which could keep her on the team for the final.

The U.S. coaches won't announce their relay lineup until an hour before the evening final.

Jenny Thompson, who anchored the winning 800 free relay teams in 1996 and 2000, was unlikely to be part of the team this time. The 31-year-old has been training at shorter distances, so the chance to win her record 12th Olympic career medal probably will have to wait until later in the meet.

Natalie Coughlin moved a step closer to her third Olympic medal by easily qualifying in the 100 freestyle, winning her preliminary heat in 54.82 seconds, the third-fastest time among the 16 women advancing to the evening semifinal.

Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands, the defending Olympic champion at age 30, led the way in 54.43.

Kara Lynn Joyce, of Ann Arbor, Mich., who swam next to de Bruijn, was second-fastest in 54.53.

"It's one of my best morning swims ever," said Joyce, who joked that her quick start was the result of a bee buzzing around her feet on the starting block.

Australian Lisbeth Lenton, the world record holder, qualified fourth in 54.89. Franziska van Almsick of Germany, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist, was 11th.

Coughlin, of Concord, Calif., won gold in her specialty, the 100 backstroke, and silver in the 400 freestyle relay.

An American woman hasn't won gold in the 100 freestyle since Carrie Steinseifer's victory at the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Aaron Peirsol of Irvine, Calif., was the fastest qualifier in the 200 with a time of 1:57.33. He set the world record at last month's U.S. trials and will be the heavy favorite to sweep the backstroke events, having won a gold medal in the 100.

Bryce Hunt, of Newburgh, Ind., was seventh in 1:59.82 and advanced to the evening semifinal. He was a late addition to the American team after Phelps qualified in the 200 back at the trials, but dropped it to focus on five individual events and three relays.

"More than anything, I want to get a medal," Hunt said, "but I definitely want to prove I'm not a B-team member, either."

Australia's Leisel Jones led 16 qualifiers for the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:26.02. She earned a bronze in the 100 breaststroke. Anne Poleska of Germany was second in 2:26.48, and world record holder Beard of Irvine, Calif., was third in 2:26.61. Beard won a silver in the 200 individual medley Tuesday - her fifth career Olympic medal. She was the bronze medalist in the 200 breaststroke four years ago.

Defending Olympic champion Agnes Kovacs of Hungary was fourth in 2:26.90.

Brooke Hanson of Australia, the silver medalist in the 100 breaststroke, was sixth. Caroline Bruce of Wichita, Kan., was eighth in 2:27.82.

More News in this Category