08.14.2004:Michael Phelps Wins First Gold

From CNN :

"Michael Phelps was so far ahead of his competition Saturday night that it was going to take something else, something unexpected, to make the event memorable as a race and not just as a history-making first gold medal.

A world record? He's done that before. He broke his own world record at the Olympic trials in Long Beach and then again in Saturday's finale, when he clocked in 4 minutes, 8.26 seconds."

Phelps won with a time of 4 minutes, 8.26 seconds, breaking the record of 4:08.41 that he set last month at the U.S. Olympic trials in Long Beach, Calif.

From AOL Sportservice:

"Phelps is just getting warmed up. He will likely swim in eight events, giving him a chance to break Spitz's record at the Munich Games.

So far, Phelps is following the script of the greatest swimmer in Olympic history: All seven of Spitz's wins were in record time.

"I'm a little bit less nervous," said Phelps, 19, of Baltimore. "I've got one off my shoulders and can relax a little bit."

Thorpe almost missed the 400 free -- his best event -- when he inexplicably fell off the starting block at the Australian trials, earning an automatic disqualification. But he got in when teammate Craig Stevens gave up his spot."

[photos from Phelps' hometown newspaper - BaltimoreSun.com.