World Swimming Championships

Times staff writer Lisa Dillman’s fifth-day highlights from Melbourne, Australia:

1 IAN WHO? How best to put Michael Phelps’ accomplishments in perspective ...

One local paper gave it a shot with this huge, back-page headline: GREATEST.

The pre-meet debate centered on whether Phelps could be considered better than the now-retired Australian icon Ian Thorpe. Phelps seems to have ended that debate with three gold medals, including world records in back-to-back days, in the 200-meter freestyle and the 200 butterfly.

He obliterated his own mark in the 200 butterfly, breaking it by 1.62 seconds. Still, the morning after, U.S. head Coach Mark Schubert wouldn’t go down the Bob Beamon path.

“Beamon’s performance was a lifetime, out-of-body experience that we never saw again,” Schubert said of the long jump record being broken by almost two feet. “And I think you’re going to see it from Michael again.”

2 HANSEN OUT: World-record holder Brendan Hansen was forced to miss the morning heats in the 200 breaststroke on Day 5 because of an intestinal virus. Hansen started to get sick on the bus ride home Wednesday night and needed treatment from team doctors, including an IV and anti-viral medication.

“He’s one of those guys who would do anything to swim, if he had any ability to do so he would so,” said Aaron Peirsol, Hansen’s friend and teammate. “I know he must be feeling pretty awful.”

3 TUNISIAN HISTORY: Oussama Mellouli of USC won the 800 freestyle in 7:46.95 on Wednesday night, the first gold medal for Tunisia at the championships.

“He’s extremely talented,” said USC Coach Dave Salo. “He’s one of the most talented kids I’ve worked with.”

Mellouli had the gold medal in the mixed zone after the ceremony but knew it wouldn’t stay with him for long.

“This goes back to my mom’s collection at home,” he said. “She would actually grab it from my hands right after when I get out.”

*--* TODAY’S FEATURED RACE

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* MEN’S 200-METER BACKSTROKE: Another vaunted streak is on the line: Peirsol hasn’t lost at this distance since the 2000 Olympics. He sent a message to the rest of the field by breaking his own world record in the 100 backstroke earlier in the meet.

*--* MEDAL TABLE

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* USA: 14. Eight gold, five silver, one bronze.

* AUSTRALIA: Eight. Three gold, one silver, four bronze.

*--* QUOTES OF THE DAY

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