Crocker Beats Record, Phelps in 100 Butterfly

Ian Crocker put the Athens Olympics behind him, and Michael Phelps too.

Crocker broke his world record in the 100-meter butterfly Saturday at the World Swimming Championships and turned a much-anticipated rematch with Phelps into a rout.

The two Americans were virtually even off the blocks, but Crocker already had a sizable lead when their heads emerged from the water. He was about a half-body length ahead at the turn, and didn’t have to worry about Phelps making one of his patented charges in the final 50 meters.

Crocker stretched his advantage all the way to the wall. He touched in 50.40 seconds, easily eclipsing the mark of 50.76 that he set in beating Phelps at last year’s U.S. Olympic trials.

But Phelps won the race that really mattered, overtaking Crocker at the Athens Olympics.

That didn’t sit well with Crocker, who was determined to regain the upper hand in his trademark event, even though it meant having to beat the world’s best swimmer.

“It was definitely my goal to break the record,” he said. “I didn’t know it would be by that much. When you’re racing against Phelps, you always have to assume it’s going to take a world record to win. My time definitely surprised me.”

Phelps took the silver with a time of 51.65. Ukraine’s Andriy Serdinov won the bronze.

“I haven’t trained much fly this year,” Phelps said. “But I don’t want to use that as an excuse. That was a horrible swim for me.”

It was another big night for the Africans, an emerging force at these championships.

South Africa’s Roland Schoeman won his second gold by winning the 50 free in 21.69. That was just five-hundredths of a second off Alexander Popov’s world record but did beat Popov’s meet record from 2003. Croatia’s Duje Draganja took the silver and Poland’s Bartosz Kizierowski the bronze.

Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry completed a sweep of the 100-200 backstroke, winning the longer event in 2:08.52.

She also has a silver from the 200 individual medley, making her one of the biggest female stars of the meet. Margaret Hoelzer of the United States won the silver, Japan’s Reiko Nakamura the bronze.

American Kate Ziegler, 17, won the 800 freestyle to go with an earlier victory in the 1,500 free. Canada’s Brittany Reimer finished in 8:25.31, holding off Olympic champion Ai Shibata of Japan by 0.27.

Australia’s women’s 400 medley relay team just missed breaking its world record, settling for a meet record of 3:57.47. That was just 0.15 off its world standard, set last summer in Athens.

Natalie Coughlin gave the Americans an early lead in the backstroke, nearly 1 1/2 seconds ahead of Sophie Edington, but the Australians surged to the lead with breaststroke world record holder Leisel Jones. The U.S. team finished second.