Coughlin reclaims world backstroke record

By Steve Keating

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Natalie Coughlin reclaimed her 100 meters backstroke record a minute after Hayley McGregory had set a new mark at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Monday.

McGregory brought a crowd of nearly 12,000 to their feet when she powered home in a time of 59.15 during the morning preliminaries to steal Coughlin's world record of 59.21.

But McGregory's world record reign lasted only as long as it took Coughlin to complete her heat, the 25-year-old clocking 59.03 to retake her record.

Four world records had fallen midway through the second day of the eight-day trials as the American swimmers battled for spots in the Beijing Olympic team. The two top finishers only qualify for Beijing.

"I was planning on going out a little easier," Coughlin told reporters. "But it (McGregory's record swim) gave me motivation to go a little faster than I had originally planned.

"It felt like a nice strong swim. The original goals was just to make the top 16 and conserve but I didn't want her to have it for long."

The record will come under threat again later on Monday when McGregory and Coughlin swim the semi-finals to set up a potential showdown in the final on Tuesday.

"I don't think you ever expect to break a world record but it's pretty cool," said McGregory. "I'm really looking forward to the final.

While Coughlin and McGregory celebrated record swims, Michael Phelps celebrated his 23rd birthday by clocking the top time in the 200 freestyle preliminaries.

PHELPS ADVANCES

Just 12 hours after destroying his own world record in the 400 meter medley, Phelps was back in the pool easing into the evening semi-finals with a time of 1:46.63, well off his world mark of 1:43.86.

"We'll see, time will tell," said Phelps, when asked if he could lower the 200 freestyle record he set at the world championships in Melbourne last year. "I felt better this morning than I did yesterday, so it's a start."

Phelps, who has targeted Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at a single summer Games at the Beijing Olympics, had been scheduled to swim nine events in Omaha but withdrew from the 400 free on Sunday and was not on the blocks for the 100 backstroke preliminaries on Monday.

That left the spotlight for Randall Bal, who clocked the top time of 53.28, the second fastest time in world this year in the 100 backstroke.

Former world record holder Jessica Hardy set the pace in the 100 breaststroke posting the top preliminary time of 1:06.85.