Phelps makes a big splash in 100 butterfly

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-8  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MICHAEL Phelps swam the world's fastest 100-meter butterfly of the year on Friday and he thought he could have done even better.

Phelps finished in 51.04 seconds at the Mutual of Omaha Swimvitational in Omaha, Nebraska, beating world record-holder Ian Crocker's previous 2008 best of 51.32, which Crocker recorded in Austin, Texas, in March.

"I really wanted to break 51 in the 100 fly, but my finish kind of wasn't too good," Phelps said. "I kind of kissed the wall. It's really not how you're supposed to finish. Hopefully it's something I can work on in the next two weeks."

Phelps, who was 0.64 seconds off Crocker's world record of 50.40, said he might have gone under 51 if he had glided into the wall rather than taking a half-stroke at the finish.

"It's all a learning experience," he said. "I'd rather have it here than in the next two months."

Phelps won the 100 butterfly at the 2004 Olympics - one of his six gold medals in Athens - and he's on track to meet Crocker here in three weeks at the US Olympic trials.

"I always look forward to racing him," Phelps said. "In this pool, we're both hopefully going to be on our best and ready to race."

Phelps also won the 100 freestyle on Friday in 49.53, a time he called disappointing.

After his fast 100 butterfly, Phelps faced continued questions about his swim apparel - the Speedo LZR Racer. Though FINA has upheld the legality of Speedo's design, the suit has been one of the hot-button issues in swimming. Since mid-February, swimmers wearing the suit have set 37 world records.

Phelps shrugged off questions about the suit.

"Anybody in the world can wear one. If you want a suit, you can get one if you want. They're available to everybody," he said. "The suit is definitely a help. Without the training, nothing else happens."

In Tokyo, double Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima set another national record yesterday in the Speedo LZR Racer, raising more concerns about contractual obligations for Japan's swimmers to use domestically produced suits at the Beijing Olympics.

Kitajima, who won the men's 100 and 200 breaststroke at the 2004 Olympics, clocked a time of 27.65 seconds in the men's 50 breaststroke at the Japan Open, breaking his own national record of 27.78 set at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal.

After setting a new national record of 59.53 in the 100 breaststroke on Friday, Kitajima called on Japanese sportswear maker Mizuno to try harder in its quest to come up with an answer to Speedo's suit before Beijing.

While Kitajima is contracted to wear Mizuno at the games the Japan Swimming Federation will meet next week to address the issue, balancing the contract against potential Olympic performance with the LZR Racer.

Kitajima was among five swimmers to break Japan national records in the Speedo on Friday.