BEIJING — Michael Phelps opened his quest to win eight gold medals by qualifying 1.44 seconds faster than his rivals with an Olympic-record time in the 400-meter individual medley preliminaries Saturday night.
The American won his heat in 4 minutes, 7.82 seconds — 0.44 second better than his gold-medal-winning time four years ago in Athens. Phelps was under his world-record pace after 150 meters of the four-stroke race, but eased off to save something for Sunday morning’s final.
“I am pretty surprised,” he said. “I didn’t think that I’d be first to get it, not until the finals.”
Laszlo Cseh of Hungary, the bronze medalist in Athens, was second-fastest in 4:09.26. Luca Marin of Italy was third in 4:10.22, and American Ryan Lochte qualified fourth in 4:10.33.
Katie Hoff, who like Phelps qualified in five individual events, opened her ambitious schedule as the second-fastest qualifier in the women’s 400 IM. Hoff, the world record holder, was timed in 4:34.63 — 0.08 second behind teammate Elizabeth Beisel.
Phelps walked onto the deck of the Water Cube for his first of his 17 races overall in front of 17,000 fans, who were mostly quiet. If they were aware of Phelps’ attempt to break Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single games, it wasn’t apparent.
He wiped down the starting block in lane four with a white towel as Lochte churned through the final meters of his heat. Phelps first stretched his right leg on the block, then his left before removing his ear buds and getting ready to qualify in the evening — a switch from the traditional Olympic program of morning prelims and evening finals.
In discussing their races, several swimmers referred to morning swims before correcting themselves. Phelps was one of them.
“It’s going to be a race between three or four of us tomorrow night and I’m looking forward to it, or tomorrow morning I should say,” he said.
Phelps and Lochte went 1-2 at the U.S. trials, with the good friends both going under world-record time. Phelps set the world mark of 4:05.25, while Lochte’s time was the second-fastest ever. Phelps beat Lochte at last year’s world championships by more than 3½ seconds.
Still, Lochte is considered a threat to Phelps’ gold rush in both the 400 and 200 IMs.
“It’s going to be a tough one, but I’m sure going to give him a run for his money,” Lochte said. “If I’m right there with him, then that’s pressure.”
Beisel led the way in the women’s 400 IM in 4:34.55. At 15, she’s the youngest member of the U.S. team, the same position Hoff was in four years ago.
“I do get a little bit jittery thinking about it,” Beisel said. “Tomorrow I’m sure I will really be on edge.”
Nerves got the better of Hoff in Athens, where she didn’t advance out of the prelims and vomited on the deck. This time, she kept her cool.
“It was definitely on my mind a little bit. It can’t not be,” she said. “To come back and swim a smart race, I’m really happy with it.”
Stephanie Rice of Australia, who owned the 400 IM world record earlier this year before Hoff took it back, tied Alessia Filippi for third. China’s Li Xuanxu also advanced to the final.
Alexander Dale Oen matched Phelps in one respect. The Norweigan set an Olympic record of 59.41 in the 100 breaststroke prelims, ahead of defending champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan, who touched in 59.52.
American Brendan Hansen tied for 10th in 1:00.36, failing to break a minute in his world-record event; he owns the five fastest times ever in the event. Hansen surprisingly failed to qualify in the 200 breaststroke, leaving him with just one chance to avenge his 2004 Olympic loss to rival Kitajima.
“I don’t want to be in lane four (given to the fastest swimmer),” Hansen said. “I don’t swim well when I’m the center of attention.”
American Mark Gangloff grabbed the 16th and last spot for the semifinals.
China had a strong showing in front of its red flag-waving, chanting fans.
The host country qualified fastest in the women’s 400 freestyle relay, touching in 3:36.78 and causing raucous cheers. The quartet of Zhu Yingwen, Tang Yi, Xu Yanwei and Pang Jiaying waved as they walked off the deck.
Germany was second. The U.S. team of Kara Lynn Joyce, Julia Smit, Emily Silver and Lacey Nymeyer was third in 3:37.53.
China also advanced swimmers to finals in the women’s 400 IM and men’s 400 freestyle, and the women’s 100 butterfly semifinals.
The crowd initially came alive for the women’s 100 butterfly, where China sent out its first two swimmers of the competition. Zhou Yafei tied American Christine Magnuson for second-quickest in 57.70 seconds. Leading the way was Jess Schipper of Australia in 57.58.
“It’s always great to get the first race over and done with,” Schipper said. “But a few things went wrong there and still going in fastest qualifier for the semifinal, it’s great to know that I have something to improve on.”
The other Chinese, Xu Yanwei, was 32nd and didn’t advance to the semifinals. Neither did Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland, the silver medalist in Athens who finished 0.04 second out of the 16th and last spot.
American Elaine Breeden moved on, as did world champion Libby Trickett of Australia, who was 12th.
“I was expecting to be faster,” Trickett said. “Obviously having the heats at night shakes things up a little bit. I know I have more than that in me.”
American Larsen Jensen advanced to the 400 freestyle final as the fastest qualifier in 3:43.10.
“I knew I had to go fast,” he said. “I didn’t want to take any chances with the last heat going all best times, leaving me out in the dust. I’m going to have a double shot espresso tomorrow morning and I’ll be ready.”
China really had something to cheer and wave its flags about when countryman Zhang Lin outtouched world champion Park Tae-hwan of Korea to win his heat. Zhang was second overall in 3:43.32. Park was third in 3:43.35.
Grant Hackett will try to give Australia its third consecutive victory in the 400 free, but he’ll have to make up time in the final after advancing in fifth place at 3:44.03. Countryman Ian Thorpe won it in 2000 and 2004, but has since retired.
“I knew it would be quick, but not quite that quick,” Hackett said. “It’s going to be interesting in the morning.”
Also advancing were American Peter Vanderkaay and Ous Mellouli of Tunisia, returning to the Olympics after serving an 18-month suspension for a positive drug test.
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