Cavic takes another shot at Phelps

ROME – Milorad Cavic can talk a good game. He’s not too bad in the pool, either.
Bring it on, Michael Phelps.
While Aaron Peirsol was redeeming himself for a huge disappointment, Cavic managed to make plenty of headlines Friday at the world swimming championships – in and out of the water.
First, the Serbian said he’s tired of hearing complaints from the Phelps’ camp about competing in an inferior suit, even going so far as offering to buy him one of the polyurethane models responsible for most of the world records at the Foro Italico.
Then, Cavic went out in the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly and knocked off Phelps’ world record, nearly becoming the first swimmer to break 50 seconds.
Of course, they don’t hand out gold after the finals. The race Cavic really wants to win is still to come.
In the meantime, he’s doing plenty of talking. Cavic hasn’t backed off on his belief that he beat Phelps to the wall at the Beijing Olympics, all photographic and timing evidence to the contrary.
Now, the Serbian has another shot at the man who officially won by a hundredth of a second on the way to capturing eight gold medals in China.
Phelps was the second-fastest qualifier and he’ll be side-by-side with Cavic in the middle of the pool Saturday night.
“I didn’t want to go out so fast, but I had so much energy in my body that I couldn’t help it,” said Cavic, who touched in 50.01 seconds to break Phelps’ record of 50.22. “I’m capable of swimming under 50, which would be enough to win the gold.”
Phelps went 50.48 in his semifinal heat and came back less than an hour later to claim his third gold medal of the championships, swimming the leadoff leg of the 800 freestyle relay won by the US with a world record of 6 minutes, 58.55 seconds—one-hundredth of a second faster than its gold medal time at the Olympics.
As for Cavic’s offer to get him a faster suit, Phelps said he’s content in his year-old Speedo LZR Racer.
“I’m wearing this,” Phelps said. “If he wants to wear a different suit, he can throw this one on.”
Cavic wears the Arena X-Glide, which is made of performance-enhancing polyurethane, while Phelps has stuck with his year-old Speedo LZR Racer.
“There’s three options for Michael,” Cavic said. “The first option is to use the suit that he’s wearing, the second option is to get one of these (polyurethane) suits, which I guarantee Arena will provide him within the hour, as soon as he wants. The third option would actually be a dream of mine, to have the whole final everybody swimming in briefs. I swear to God, this is it, this is what I want.”
In the relay, Phelps was again no match for Germany’s Paul Biedermann, who routed him in the 200 free and put his team more than 1.5 seconds ahead on the first leg of the relay. But Phelps had the better supporting cast, teaming with Ricky Berens, David Walter and Ryan Lochte to set the sixth world record of the night and 35th of the championships. AP