Michael Phelps wins 7th Olympic gold; gets scare from Milo Cavic

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BEIJING -- Milo Cavic, the Serbian who grew up in Tustin, said he wanted to be the spoiler in Michael Phelps’ quest to become the first athlete to win seven gold medals in a single Olympics since Mark Spitz. Cavic almost pulled it off.

Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly Saturday, but it was his closet individual race yet. Cavic appeared to make a mistake right at the end, gliding after the last stroke instead of swimming all the way to the wall, and enabled Phelps to touch first.

Although it was the seventh gold for Phelps, it was the first time he hasn’t set or been part of a world record here. He won in an Olympic record of 50.58. Cavic was second in 50.59.

Cavic, who swam for UC Berkeley, dominated the first half of the race, swimming the first 50 in 23.42. Phelps actually was sixth in the eight-man final at 24.04. But he came on strong in the final 50, setting up his attempt to break the all-time record when he swims in the 400 medley relay Sunday (Saturday night in Los Angeles). If he wins, that will give him eight gold medals for Beijing and 14 for his remarkable career.

-- Randy Harvey