Phelps to begin battle against Hackett in 400m freestyle

By George Burns Jul 23, 2005, 18:12 GMT

Montreal - Michael Phelps takes to the pool on the opening day of the swimming competition at the FINA World Championships Sunday in the 400-metre freestyle as the American switches more of his attention to the discipline as part of his long-term preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In the absence of Olympic champion and world-record holder Ian Thorpe of Australia, who isn't competing in Montreal, Phelps, winner of six gold and eight medals overall at last year's Athens Games, will face tough competition from another Australian, Grant Hackett, as well as from European champion Emiliano Brembilla.

The 20-year-old American has an entry time of 3 minutes 47.79 seconds, third behind Hackett, who is faster by over three seconds with 3:44.44 minutes and Brembilla with 3:46,89.

However, Phelps has foregone competing in two of his world-record events - the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley - to go in the 100m and 400m freestyles, believing the decision will improve his stamina as well as testing his determination to overcome a challenge.

Phelps appears well aware that beating the 25-year-old Hackett over 400m is a big task. Yet the 200m and 400m individual medley world-record holder has nothing to prove in Montreal and is instead looking at the long picture, as well as challenging his team-mates to up their performance levels.

He hasn't lightened his load, swimming in the same number of events in Montreal as he did in Athens.

Apart from taking on the prodigy that is Phelps, Hackett will also be looking to beat Thorpe's 800m freestyle mark as well as becoming the first swimmer to win the same event at four world championships when he goes in the 1500m freestyle, the preliminaries of which are on July 30.

In the absence of Thorpe, Hackett is going for an unprecedented four freestyle titles from 200m to 1500m and with 12 world championship medals should overtake Jenny Thompson's current record of 13.

The women's 400m freestyle heats and final also take place Monday but have, not surprisingly, been overshadowed by the Hackett-Phelps showdown.

The Olympic champion over the distance, Laura Manaudou of France, has the fastest time with 4:05.34 minutes and will be favourite. Caitlin McClatchey of Britain, probably the country's top medal prospect, is second with 4:07.02 with Japan's Ai Shibata, who came fifth in Athens, third with 4:07.93.

The United States will be the overwhelming favourite to take Sunday's men's 4x100m freestyle relay in the absence of Olympic champions South Africa while Australia, with triple Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Jodie Henry in its team, should have the upper hand on the Americans in the women's event.

Sunday also sees heats in the women's 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley and men's heats in the 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke.