Phelps’ First Is One of His Best

Swimming

Here, in capsule form, are the events that will be highlighted today in Athens:

The man on center stage, Michael Phelps, will step up for his first final, the opener of his five individual events in Athens, starting his pursuit of Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in one Olympics. Event No. 1 will be the 400-meter individual medley, in which Phelps is the world-record holder. There will be three other finals -- the men’s 400 freestyle, women’s 400 individual medley and women’s 400 freestyle relay. The American team will consist of Kara Lynn Joyce and Natalie Coughlin, with four others -- Amanda Weir, Jenny Thompson, Colleen Lanne and Maritza Correia -- contending for the other two spots, based on performance in the morning preliminaries.