Phelps, Hoff get US trials off to fast start

Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff got the US Olympic trials off to a spectacular start with world records in the 400 metres individual medleys in Nebraska, on Sunday.

Officials had promised fireworks during the eight-day competition and the first night produced two world records in three finals.

Phelps, targeting Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at a single Games in Beijing, stormed to the wall ahead of good friend Ryan Lochte in a time of four minutes 5.25 seconds, slicing almost a second of his old mark.

"I left everything in the pool," Phelps, who swam in the controversial hi-tech Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit, told reporters. "I would never have been able to do it without Lochte beside me. He is a great friend and a great competitor."

With the arena still buzzing from Phelps's performance, Hoff brought the near capacity crowd of 12,000 to its feet again by powering to the wall in 4:31.12 to reclaim the world record she surrendered to Australia's Stephanie Rice in March.

The men's 400m freestyle failed to produce a world record but was full of drama with Larsen Jensen winning in a time of 3:43.53 ahead of Peter Vanderkaay and Erik Vendt. The three swimmers were separated by just 0.39 seconds.

Brendan Hansen almost added another world record, posting the top qualifying effort of 59.24 in the 100m breaststroke semi-finals. The time was the fastest this year and just off Hansen's own world record of 59.13.

Coughlin record

Natalie Coughlin broke the world record in the women's 100 metre backstroke at the US Olympic swim trials in Omaha, yesterday.

Coughlin clocked a time of 59.03 seconds to reclaim the world mark just one minute after Hayley McGregory had set a new world mark in the previous heat with a clocking of 59.15.