Lezak, U.S. put on rally swim caps Comeback keeps Phelps on track Hoff, Hansen fall.(Sports)

Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO) August 11, 2008 | Latimer, Clay Byline: Clay Latimer, Rocky Mountain News Ah, the agony of victory.

Michael Phelps did it again today (Sunday night, U.S. time), helping lead America’s 400-meter freestyle relay team to a breathtakingly narrow victory against France at the Water Cube.

But this time, Phelps was helpless at the end, in agony on the deck until Jason Lezak overcame a 0.41-of-a-second deficit and out- touched France’s Alain Bernard, who had vowed to “smash” the Americans.

The U.S. finished in three minutes, 8.24 seconds, only 0.08 seconds ahead of the French (3:08.32) and smashing the world record by nearly 4 seconds. Australia won the bronze in 3:09.91.

“It was unbelievable,” Phelps said after picking up his second gold and remaining on course to win eight. “Jason finished the race better than we could have asked for. I was like, ‘This is going to be a really close race. Jason in the last 50 seconds was incredible. At the end, you could see I was pretty excited, I was pretty emotional.” The U.S. hadn’t won the 400 relay since the 1996 Atlanta Games, finishing second in 2000 and third in 2004. Phelps usually scours newspapers for motivational material, but he didn’t have to look hard for this one; not with Bernard’s brash predictions.

“We let our swimming do the talking,” Phelps said.

American Katie Hoff, Phelps’ “little sister,” hoped to leave Beijing with a treasure trove of gold, too. But she’s seeing how difficult it is to win a couple of events, much less five or six. Hoff won silver in the 400 freestyle, an improvement over her bronze in the 400 individual medley.

Rebecca Adlington of Great Britain won the 400 free in 4:03.22. Hoff was timed in 4:03.29.

“I gave it everything I had possibly, but they got me in the end. I felt like I should have got my hand on the wall first,” Hoff said.

The Olympic travails of Brendan Hansen also continued in the 100 breaststroke. The 26-year-old world-record holder not only lost to bitter rival Kosuke Kitajima of Japan, but he also failed to win a medal. see here swim caps

Hansen, engulfed in the worst slump of his career, finished fourth at the Olympic trials in his best event, the 200 breast, and struggled to find a groove in preliminaries in the 100 breast.

He has broken seven world records in the 100 and 200 breast and won several gold medals at the world championships but never an Olympic gold in an individual event.

Four years ago in Athens, Han- sen was out-touched by Kitajima and has talked candidly since about avenging that haunting moment.

After another Olympic disappointment, Hansen was the last to leave the pool, walking slow off the deck. Kitajima won in 58.91, followed by Alexander Dale Oen of Norway (59.20) and Hugues Duboscq of France (59.37). Hansen was clocked in 59.57.

The women’s 100 butterfly was billed as another flash point in the mounting athletic wars between China and the U.S., with Zhou Yafei and Christine Magnuson, of Tinley Park, Ill., going head to head.

But Lisbeth Trickett of Australia plunged into the drama, taking gold in 56.73. Magnuson won silver in 57.10 and Jessicah Schipper, another Australian, won bronze in 57.25. Zhou (57.84) was fourth.

Magnuson slammed her right fist into the water after another disappointing result for the U.S.

“It gives me something to improve on,” she said. “It’s one of those things you’re thinking, ‘Should I take an extra stroke or not? I did (Sunday in preliminaries), but today I didn’t.

“I was really relieved (when she touched the wall). I thought I messed it up at the turn, so I was really excited. It’s been an amazing ride. This is what I’ve been wanting my entire career. I know my roommates are probably thinking, ‘Why is she so happy with the silver,’ but I’m just so happy to be here.” Men’s 100 breaststroke: 1. Kosuke Kitajima, Japan, 58.91. (World record. Old record: 59:13, Brendan Han- sen, United States, Aug. 1, 2006, Irvine, Calif.). 2. Alexander Dale Oen, Norway, 59.20. 3. Hugues Duboscq, France, 59.37. 4. Brendan Hansen, Havertown, Pa., 59.57. 5. Brenton Rickard, Australia, 59.74. 6. Roman Sludnov, Russia, 59.87.

Men’s 4×100 freestyle relay: 1. United States (Michael Phelps, Baltimore, 47.51; Garrett Weber- Gale, Milwaukee, 47.02; Cullen Jones, Irvington, N.J., 47.65; Jason Lezak, Irvine, Calif., 46.06), 3:08.24. (World record. Old record: 3:12.23, United States, Aug. 10, 2008, Beijing). 2. France, 3:08.32. 3. Australia, 3:09.91. 4. Italy, 3:11.48. 5. Sweden, 3:11.92. 6. Canada, 3:12.26. swimcapsnow.com swim caps

Women’s 100 butterfly: 1. Lisbeth Trickett, Australia, 56.73. 2. Christine Magnuson, Tinley Park, Ill., 57.10. 3. Jessicah Schipper, Australia, 57.25. 4. Zhou Yafei, China, 57.84. 5. Li Tao, Singapore, 57.99. 6. Jemma Lowe, Britain, 58.06.

Women’s 400 freestyle: 1. Rebecca Adlington, Britain, 4:03.22. 2. Katie Hoff, Towson, Md., 4:03.29. 3. Joanne Jackson, Britain, 4:03.52. 4. Coralie Balmy, France, 4:03.60. 5. Federica Pellegrini, Italy, 4:04.56. 6. Camelia Alina Potec, Romania, 4:04.66.

INFOBOX Pool party How U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is faring in his quest to win eight gold medals:

Event Result 400 individual medley Gold 4×100 free relay Gold REMAINING EVENTS Event Day 200 freestyle Today 200 butterfly Tuesday 4×200 free relay Tuesday 200 individual medley Thursday 100 butterfly Friday 4×100 medley relay Saturday CAPTION(S):

Photo U.S. swimmers, from left, Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps and Cullen Jones celebrate after winning the 400-meter freestyle relay today in Beijing. “At the end, you could see I was pretty excited, I was pretty emotional,” Phelps said. TIMOTHY CLARY / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Latimer, Clay