Phelps dives in to join all-time Olympic elite

By Simon Denyer

BEIJING (Reuters) - Michael Phelps will join the likes of Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz and Paavo Nurmi at the top of the list of all-time Olympians if he wins his ninth gold medal in the 200 meters freestyle swimming on Tuesday.

Victory would give the lanky 23-year-old American his third gold in Beijing as he seeks to overtake Spitz's record of seven golds at a single Games.

It would also take him alongside "Flying Finn" distance runner Nurmi, swimmer Spitz, sprinter and long jumper Lewis, and female Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina with nine career golds.

On Day Three, Phelps needed a remarkable fightback from his team mates to claim gold in the 4x100 freestyle relay, after he had left them in second place in the first leg.

On Tuesday his fate is in his own hands and he will be feeling confident despite recording the fourth fastest time in qualifying. Phelps said he had been taking it easy after the drama of the relay, conserving energy for the long haul ahead.

"It's hard to put that kind of race behind you but it sets me up for something good tomorrow," he said. "The 200 free final, that's my first priority."

But if Phelps is his normal, laid-back self, his mother Debbie will be a bag of nerves in the stands.

"I get very nervous," she told Reuters. "Butterflies going, my hands are sweating, my heart is pounding, but I try to look very calm on the outside."

In the women's races, Kirsty Coventry is aiming to bring some rare cheer to troubled Zimbabwe when she competes in the women's 100 backstroke final.

Silver medalist in Sunday's 400 individual medley, the U.S.-based swimmer is in pole position for backstroke gold after setting a world record 58.77 in the semi-finals.

CHINA DIVE FOR GOLD

China are setting the pace at the top of the medals table with nine golds and may extend their lead on Tuesday, although the United States should hit their stride once the athletics gets under way at the end of the week.

The hosts hope to build on a successful start in the diving competition where they have already picked up the first two golds on offer. Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin aim to make it three out of three in the women's synchronized 10m platform.

Tickets for the diving have become among the hottest in town as China looks for a clean sweep.

China are also fancied to pick up a couple more golds in weightlifting, and are overwhelming favorites for men's team gold in artistic gymnastics.