Phelps, Coughlin Both Advance

Michael Phelps was back in the pool at the National Aquatics Center tonight, logging an easy preliminary swim in the 200-meter freestyle only hours after he won his first gold medal of these Olympics with a record-setting performance in the 400-meter individual medley.

Phelps placed second in his heat and fourth overall with a time of 1 minute 46.40 seconds, well off his world record of 1:43.86. Switzerland's Dominik Meichtry was fastest in 1:45.80, with Jean Basson of Russia and Brent Hayden of Canada also slightly faster than Phelps.

The top 16 swimmers, which included Peter Vanderkaay of Michigan, advance to the semifinals, which will be held Monday here. The final is Tuesday morning Beijing (Monday night in the United States).

"I did everything I needed to do," Phelps said. "The biggest thing is having a good race in the morning in that, but also recovery," meaning he must be rested.

Phelps will seek his second gold medal Monday morning (Sunday night in the U.S.) in the final of the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, an event in which France is the top seed and is expected to provide the stiffest competition. The preliminary heats of the relay - in which Phelps will not swim - will be held later this evening.

In another preliminary heat, California's Natalie Coughlin posted the second-fastest time in her best event, the 100-meter backstroke. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe was quickest in an Olympic-record 59 seconds - a swim that broke Coughlin's mark from four years ago - and Coughlin swam 59.69.

Coughlin first set the world record in the event in 2002, when she became the first woman to swim under a minute in the event. She has since lowered it four times, the last two coming earlier this summer at U.S. trials. She won gold in the event in Athens four years ago, one of her five medals from the 2004 games, and she is a strong contender to repeat here.

"I thought if I swam a 59-anything, it would be good enough to get to the semifinals," Coughlin said. The top 16 advance, and the final of the event isn't until Tuesday morning. Fellow American Margaret Hoelzer of Alabama also advanced.

Coughlin swam her heat only a few hours after she helped the United States to a sliver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.

"It was a really good start for us," she said. "I think a lot of people didn't even think we'd medal in that relay."

By Barry Svrluga  |  August 10, 2008; 7:40 AM ET  | Category:  Swimming
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