Phelps' quest for eight golds begins in record fashion

As John Lohn of Swimming World Magazine wrote: "The most-hyped story of the Olympic Games opened without a hitch Saturday."

Michael Phelps began his quest to pass Mark Spitz's record haul of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics by taking the first step toward eight golds with an Olympic-record performance of 4 minutes, 7.82 seconds in the prelims of the 400-meter individual medley.

"I am pretty surprised (to break the Olympic record). I didn't think that I'd be first to get it, not until the finals," Phelps said. "I wanted to be first to win tomorrow. I just wanted first in the heats."

Phelps clocked a then-world-record 4:08.26 en route to capturing his first gold medal in Athens in 2004.

Phelps lowered his own global standard with a 4:05.25 on June 29 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.

He was under world-record pace through 150 meters and only two-hundredths off (1:57.34) at the midway point, before cruising through the breaststroke leg at 3:09.48 en route to his third-fastest time. It was the first of 17 expected swims for Phelps during the nine-day competition.

In an on-deck interview with NBC's Andrea Kremer after the race, Phelps said: "I didn't think I was going to be that fast above the other prelims to get into the finals, so it looks good though. It's gonna be a great race between three or four of us tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it.

"It's just the first race jitters, you know, getting that first race under your belt, it really means a lot. So, you know being able to come in here and do that this morning ... I keep thinking it's the morning, but tonight, I was definitely pretty pleased with it."

Ryan Lochte, who took second to Phelps at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 4:06.08 -- the No. 2 all-time mark in the event -- qualified fourth for the final in 4:10.33.

"That was my morning swim so I can start my meet now," Lochte said. "That was not my best but I'm happy with it."

Hungary's Laszlo Cseh, the bronze medalist in Athens, qualified second in 4:09.26 and Italy's Luca Marin -- who competed in the same heat as Phelps -- was third in 4:10.22.

"I'll try everything but that will be hard (to beat Phelps)," Cseh said. "If somebody wants to win this race, they need to have a 4:05."