Michael Phelps got the U.S. Olympic swim trials off to the same start he did four years ago, uncorking a world record in the 400-meter individual medley on the opening night.
His riveting stroke-for-stroke duel with runner-up Ryan Lochte unleashed the crowd of 12,316 at the Qwest Center on Sunday night, and then Phelps thrilled them with the stunning time of 4 minutes 5.25 seconds.
At 4:06.08, Lochte also was under Phelps’ previous world record of 4:06.22, which was established last year.
The early crowd noise signaled to Phelps that “something special is going to happen.”
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But he tried to temper his enthusiasm in the opening lap.
“I can’t get too excited; it’s only the first 50,” Phelps said.
“I definitely started the meet off on the right foot. I’m happy to go 4:05.”
That was only the beginning. There was another world record and one American record before the opening session concluded.
Katie Hoff established the world mark, going 4:31.12 in the 400 individual medley.
And Larsen Jensen set a U.S. record in the 400 freestyle in 3:43.53, edging Peter Vanderkaay’s 3:43.73. Both went under Vanderkaay’s American mark of 3:43.82, set in May at Santa Clara, Calif.
Said the 19-year-old Hoff:
“This one’s definitely a shock for me.”
That pretty much summed up an electric night of swimming.