Phelps sets world record in showdown with Cavic

Olympic champion wins epic 100m butterfly, but Rebecca Adlington is left in tears after finishing fourth in the 800m freestyle

By Jonathan Harwood

FIRST POSTED AUGUST 2, 2009

Michael Phelps broke both the 100m men's butterfly world record and his biggest rival Milorad Cavic at the world swimming championships in Rome.

The Serbian swimmer taunted Phelps in the run up to the race after beating the American's world record, but it was the Olympic champion who had the last laugh, reclaiming his record as both men broke 50 seconds for the first time in history.
Beijing gold medalist Rebecca Adlington had a less successful day, finishing fourth in the 800m freestyle, event that she won at the Olympics, although Briton Jo Jackson took second.
Briton Liam Tancock also claimed a new world record in 50m backstroke.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
Andy Bull, Observer: "[Cavic] broke Phelps's world record in the semi-final, setting a time of 50.01sec, and then indulged in a little trash-talk, offering to buy Phelps a new suit to swim in to replace his Speedo LZR. Phelps is not the kind of man you want to run down before a race. He obliterated Cavic, and his world record, with an extraordinary time of 49.82sec, becoming the first man in history to dip under the 50sec mark."
Simon Hart, Sunday Telegraph: "You could say the American was pleased with his victory. Admitting he had been wound up by Cavic's pre-race suggestion that he should take immediate delivery of an Arena polyurethane suit - like Adlington, Phelps has stayed loyal to Speedo - he celebrated his win like a pumped-up ultimate fighter - spitting water, beating his chest and making a gesture of showing off his swimsuit. The race itself was undoubtedly the highlight of the championships after Phelps trailed Cavic by three-quarters of a body length at the turn before surging past him in the final strokes."
Brian Cazanueve, Sports Illustrated: "Do not mess with Michael Phelps. He runs on emotion, dances through fire and uses all slights, disses and challenges to make himself swim faster. As Ali needed Frazier, Maris needed Mantle and Hatfield needed McCoy, the 2009 version of Michael Phelps, the eight Olympic golds behind him, needed Milorad Cavic to measure himself against at the world championships in Rome."
Daniel King, Mail on Sunday: "Rebecca Adlintgon was in a flood of tears after finishing out of the medals in the final of the 800metres freestyle at the World Championships, an event in which she became queen of the Olympic pool in Beijing. Adlington could manage only fourth as Denmark’s Lotte Friis took gold in a championship best time — outside of Adlington’s world record. British team-mate Jo Jackson once more got the better of the Mansfield swimmer by claiming her second silver of the championships."
Craig Lord, Sunday Times: "Liam Tancock, of Britain, shattered the 50m backstroke world record at the world championships in Rome last night. When he held the mark last year it was 24.47sec. It now stands at 24.08 after the man from Exeter cut 0.25sec off the mark held by American Randall Bal."