After seizing seven gold medals at last month's world championships, Michael Phelps thinks he's in a good position to repeat his Olympic success in Beijing.

Or even go one better.

"If this year goes as well as last year's training, I wouldn't be surprised if I did it again," the 21-year-old from Baltimore said while in Beijing earlier this month.

In Athens three years ago, Phelps captured six gold medals with a performance that rattled his competitors and stunned the world.

Now he faces a new level of pressure: beating compatriot Mark Spitz's record of seven gold, set at the Munich Games in 1972.

Phelps and other members of the US team came to Beijing in April to promote the Special Olympics World Summer Games, which takes place in Shanghai in October.

During his stay in Beijing, Phelps met China's world record hurdler Liu Xiang and visited the Water Cube, the venue for next year's Olympic swimming events, which he described as inspirational.

"I think it's going to paint a picture in our minds, to really help us prepare for next year and get us more and more excited," he said after visiting the futuristic, bubble-shaped building.

Now he is fixed on building new records, with seven the magic number.

"I would like to try that kind of event program next year," he said. "That's the goal. Going into the (Melbourne worlds) meet, I wanted to be able to compete at that level with that event program."

"I hadn't tried (it) since Athens ... so being ... as successful as I was, I'd really love to have the opportunity to do it again."

But don't expect him to be too disappointed if he falls short.

"If I go in, I do one best time and win one gold, that's a success.

"If I do five best times and get beat in all of them, training has been a success."

In a controversial move to accommodate the primetime US television audience, the swimming finals at the Beijing Games have been moved to the morning. The decision sparked an outcry from the Australian team, among others, but Phelps supports the rescheduled time.

"To be perfectly honest, it's the Olympics. If you're not ready to swim at that given time, don't come. If you can't step up and get excited for an event whether it's morning or the finals, stay at home and watch it on TV."

While the new timetable could yet make a difference, the question on everybody's lips is simple: Can anyone beat Phelps in Beijing?

"I don't know," was his answer. "If you asked people in 1999 if I was going to be at the (Sydney) Olympics, then people would have said 'no way.' Once you get to a meet, you can only control what you do. You can't control anyone else".

Regarding Ian Thorpe's surprise retirement late last year, Phelps said it is not too late for his Australian rival to make a comeback.

"He's a remarkable athlete. With the amount of talent he has for the sport of swimming he can do anything he wants. He's proven how dominant he can be in the freestyle world. If he wants to start training now and get ready for the Olympics now, I definitely wouldn't put it past him.

Thorpe's retirement has been marred by allegations in a French newspaper that he tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone last year - something Thorpe has denied.

While the Australian struggles to clear his name, China's swimmers are struggling to find any semblance of form. The team flopped in Melbourne with a paltry two medals, but Phelps said the home swimmers should not be ruled out.

"The Chinese next year are going to be even more excited than they ever have been. It's in their country, they are going to make the Olympics a one-of-a-kind (event)and show something that's never been seen in the Olympics, in venues, in everything that goes into the Olympics."

The United States will still be the team to beat, he added.

"It's kind of our job to re-defend our title in the medals.

"We have had, still do have, some of the best swimmers that ever swam. We can theoretically go one-two in a lot of events. No matter what pressure is put on the team, we'll come out satisfied."