Friday, August 15, 2008

Men's 100m Butterfly: Phelps steps closer with seventh gold

Updated: 2008-08-16 12:48:43

Michael Phelps celebrates victory in the 100m Butterfly final (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

(BEIJING, August 16) -- American Michael Phelps overcame the one man left in the field of challengers who could have stopped his charge towards eight gold medals in the Men's 100m Butterfly on Saturday at the National Aquatics Center.

Defending Olympic champion and world champion Phelps, who had qualified second fastest for the final, realized at the 50m mark he had a huge battle on his hands when Serbian Milorad Cavic touched first, 0.09 seconds under the world record.

Gold medalist Michael Phelps celebrates during the medal ceremony (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Phelps and Cavic battled it out in the last 50m. A monumental upset looked to be approaching - until Phelps dug deep and out-touched Cavic on the wall.

Phelps won in an Olympic record time of 50.58, to take his tally of gold medals to seven, but only just, and by the slimmest of margins - 0.01 seconds.

Milorad Cavic said after the semifinals he could beat Phelps after qualifying fastest for the final, but finished with the silver medal in a time of 50.59.

Australia's Andrew Lauterstein capped a great series of swims in the heats and semifinals to win the bronze medal in 51.12.

But world record holder Ian Crocker (USA), who has been breathing down Phelps' neck this year with some threatening times, only arrived in fourth place with a time of 51.13.