Michael Phelps breaks 100-meter butterfly record

"Honestly, in the race where Ian broke the record, that is the worst that Michael has ever been beaten," said Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman. "I remember Michael got out [of the pool] and said 'What happened? I want to put a bag over my head.' I said 'Me too. Let's get out of here.' That was an amazing record, and that's why it stood the test of time."

Crocker, who retired after the Beijing Olympics, sent Phelps a text message recently wishing him luck and telling his old rival he wanted him to break the record.

"That meant a lot from a competitor, a friend and a classy guy," Phelps said. "He and I had amazing battles back and forth, and those are something I'll definitely miss."

Meanwhile, Torres won the 50-meter freestyle but wasn't thrilled with her time (24.43).

"My coach was telling me I probably lost four or five tenths [of a second] on the start," said Torres, who has been swimming despite a knee injury. "The adrenaline kind of took over so I didn't really feel it.

"It's a great feeling to be able to be out there and still race [at age 42], but that time won't medal at the world championships," Torres said.

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kevin.vanvalkenburg@baltsun.com