Katie Hoff steals the show at Olympic trials

OMAHA -- These Olympic trials are turning into a lost-and-found swim meet.

Of records.

Less than a month ago, Katie Hoff was told during a pre-trials event that Natalie Coughlin, swimming in a meet at USC, had broken Hoff's American record in the 200-meter individual medley.

"I was in the ready room: 'Did you hear? Did you hear?' " Hoff said, recalling the moment the other day. " 'Thanks, I did hear.' "

On Wednesday night, the swimming world finally heard Hoff's response, which resonated loud and clear with a scintillating double victory in the span of about 50 minutes, which included two American records. First, Hoff lowered her American mark in the 200 freestyle, winning in 1 minute 55.88 seconds.

The bookend to that came when Hoff won a stroke-for-stroke duel with Coughlin and Ariana Kukors in the 200 IM, which had been billed as the marquee race of the trials. Kukors actually led after the breaststroke leg, Hoff was second and Coughlin third.

"I could have had a great race and got third," Hoff said.

But she had her trademark strong finish and won in 2:09.71, besting Coughlin's American record of 2:09.77, set on June 6. Coughlin was second in 2:10.32, and Kukors third in 2:10.40. This was Hoff's fourth individual victory in four races at the trials.

"It's really hard. When you're younger, you do that stuff all the time," Hoff said of the double. "It's harder when you're 19. But I'm happy I pulled it out."

Michael Phelps, who won the 200 butterfly in 1:52.20, regards Hoff as almost a little sister and teases her unmercifully. Though he has won three individual races and dropped out of the 200 backstroke, Phelps was asked about Hoff's ambitious schedule making him look like a slacker.

"She's younger," Phelps said. "Give her four years."

Said Hoff: "It gives me some ammunition against him, so thank you for that."

The hype for Hoff vs. Coughlin was probably enhanced because they had raced each other only twice before in the 200 IM. Coughlin was under world-record pace after the butterfly leg.

"My breaststroke kind of got away from me a little bit," Coughlin said.

The hectic program featured several semifinals. Jason Lezak of Irvine broke the American record in the 100 freestyle (47.58), reclaiming the mark he had lost in the morning to Garrett Weber-Gale. In the 200 butterfly, the top qualifying time was posted by Elaine Breeden (2:07.33), with Mary DeScenza third fastest at 2:08.03.