Torres shows younger generation how at U.S. trials

By Steve Keating

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Dara Torres grabbed the spotlight from Katie Hoff and Michael Phelps at the U.S. swimming trials on Thursday when the 41-year-old mother launched her bid to qualify for a fifth Olympics in impressive style.

Torres, who won the first of her four Olympic gold medals at the 1984 Games -- before the other swimmers in her heat were born, clocked the third fastest time of 54.57 seconds in the 100 meter freestyle preliminaries to reach the evening semi-finals.

Only Natalie Coughlin (53.64) and Lacey Nymeyer (54.06) came home faster than the Torres, whose last Olympic appearance was the 2000 Sydney Games.

"I was anxious, I was very nervous, it was good to just get that first race out of the way," Torres told reporters.

"I didn't give it my all-out effort this morning, I just really needed to get in there and swim and race and see how it felt.

"I wasn't expecting to be that nervous. I felt like I was in my first Olympic trials again."

Lining up alongside 19-year-old Hoff, who has dominated the women's trials by already qualifying for four individual Olympic events, Torres stormed to the lead and held on to take the first step towards becoming the oldest female swimmer to compete at the Games.

Phelps, who has targeted Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at a single Games in Beijing, continued to put the finishing touches to his Olympic program, easily advancing in the 200 individual medley.

PHELPS COMFORTABLE

Olympic gold medalist in the event, Phelps cruised into the semi-finals with the second fastest time behind Ryan Lochte, easily winning his heat with 1:59.70 but well off his world record of 1:54.98

"At this point it's just adrenalin, it doesn't matter how tired you are," said Phelps, who has already qualified for three individual Olympic events and the 4x200m freestyle relay squad.

"Two more events left and they're probably the most fun events."

Aaron Peirsol, winner of the 100 backstroke in world record time on Tuesday, turned his attention to defending his Olympic 200 backstroke title, posting the top preliminary time of 1:57.05.

Lochte, the event's world record holder, also advanced to semi-finals with a controlled swim clocking the fourth fastest time of 1:58.25.

"I just wanted to win the heat and get ready for tonight," said Peirsol. "I think eventually I would like to get that record back but first things first."