SPORTS> Newsmaker
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SPORTS> Newsmaker
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After stunning loss, Phelps rebounds with record
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-30 08:26
It also helped to swim the 200 fly. That event produced Phelps' first trip to the Olympics in 2000 (he finished fifth at Sydney as a 15-year-old). That event produced the first of all those world records in 2001. "I've always done well in it," he said. "I guess you can call it my bread and butter event." There couldn't have been a more appropriate place for Phelps to add another record to his resume. Shortly after he climbed from the pool, Italy's Federica Pellegrini sent the home crowd into a frenzy when she set the 20th world mark of the four-day-old meet in the 200 freestyle.
"I feel that my heart is for Italy," she said after clapping along with the crowd during her country's bouncy national anthem, "Fratelli d'Italia" (Brothers of Italy). Before this night was done, South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh broke the mark he set in the semifinals to win the 50 breaststroke, and China's Zhang Lin took down Grant Hackett's four-year-old record in the 800 free by more than six seconds (7:32.12), with Tunisia's Ous Mellouli also going under the old mark but only getting silver. Both are non-Olympic events. Earlier, Germany's Daniela Samulski and Russia's Anastasia Zueva got things rolling by setting records in consecutive semifinal heats of the 50 backstroke, another event not on the Olympic program. And let's not forget American Mary Descenza, who took more than three seconds off her personal best to swim the fastest women's 200 butterfly ever — in the morning preliminaries, no less. For those who've lost count, that's 22 records in Rome, hardly living up to the label as the Eternal City. Nothing is sacred in these suits, which have already helped surpass the 15 records set at the last worlds in Melbourne two years ago, with four days still to go. Phelps had been eager to get another shot at the 200 fly on the big stage, even after winning gold in China. During the Olympic race, his goggles filled with water and he actually had to count his strokes in his head because he couldn't really see where he was. He was disgusted afterward. "That's something I really wanted to do last year, break the 1:52 barrier," he said. "Coming into it tonight I said, 'Whatever happens, happens.' I tried to give it my all the first 150." Was redemption on his mind as well? "Not really," Phelps insisted. "I've always been able to put races behind me, having to do so many events. You can't get caught up with one event." That said, Phelps couldn't wait to get on the podium to collect his first individual title of the meet, which he spurred on to enter by his mother, Debbie. While his name was being announced in English and Italian, he stood impatiently with his right foot already on the stand. Finally, Phelps hopped up to the highest rung, thrust both arms in the air with a defiant look that melted into a crooked smile. Then he plunged into the stands to hug his mom, just as he the night before. No consoling this time. Only a celebration. "My mom did want to come to Rome," Phelps said. "After the Olympics, I said I would just send her over there and she could have a nice vacation. But she said, 'No, I want to come over there and see you swim.' So I got back in the pool, lost some weight and got back in shape." And back on top.
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