Phelps Is Ready to Take a Shot at Hackett in 400

One week into the world championships, it’s finally time to go swimming.

And what a way to get things started today: Michael Phelps vs. Grant Hackett, a showdown at 400 meters that has Phelps in the unusual role of underdog.

Phelps, who won six golds and eight medals overall at the Athens Olympics, wanted to take his remarkable repertoire in a new direction at these championships. So he set his sights on the 400 freestyle -- one of the Australian star’s signature events.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Phelps said. “It’s going to be a fun race, exciting.”

With world-record holder Ian Thorpe sitting out the worlds and Phelps a relative neophyte in the 400 free, Hackett is a clear favorite to win.

His entry time is nearly three seconds faster than anyone else in the field -- and almost 4 1/2 seconds ahead of Phelps. But the 20-year-old American is eager to see how he stacks up against Hackett.

“Hackett has been very dominant in the middle distance freestyle events the past few years,” Phelps said. “It’s my job to step up and try to race him, go after it and see what happens.

“That’s one of the races I’m really looking forward to. Hopefully, we can get the ball rolling for the U.S.”

Three other swimming finals will be held tonight -- the women’s 400 free, along with the 400 free relays for men and women.

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Olympic champion Hu Jia won the 10-meter platform title Saturday at the world championships, giving China its fourth diving gold medal.

Hu rallied to win on his last dive, a backward 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists. He finished with 698.01 points.

Cuba’s Jose Antonio Guerra was second with 691.14, earning his country’s first diving medal in the world championships.

Gleb Galperin of Russia rose from sixth to third on his last dive, taking the bronze with 656.19.

Bryan Nickson, a 15-year-old diver from Malaysia, was ninth among 12 finalists.

The Chinese have won medals in eight diving events so far, with two remaining.

China led the medal standings with four golds and 10 medals overall. Russia and the United States were tied for second with three golds. The United States and Germany have six medals total.

In women’s water polo, partial pairings were set for Monday’s quarterfinals. Russia (2-0-1) will play Italy (2-1-0) and the United States (1-1-1) will take on Australia (3-0-0).

Facing elimination, the Americans defeated Cuba, 14-3, Saturday, getting three goals each from Brenda Villa and Moriah Van Norman.