Striking Gold

ATHENS, Greece — Michael Phelps wasn't taking any chances.

The night before, he fired up by watching the movie "Miracle." While on deck at the Olympic pool, he had Eminem's "'Till I Collapse" blaring in his headphones. Before climbing atop the starting block, he stared down the 50-meter strip of water.

"I was more ready for this," Phelps said, "than I've ever been."

Now the first gold's out of the way.

He's an Olympic champion — just like Mark Spitz.

Phelps began his quest to overtake Spitz's 1972 record haul of seven gold medals with a dominating performance in the 400-meter individual medley, breaking his own world record Saturday night and claiming the first U.S. gold medal of the Athens Games.

It was a rousing start to the much-anticipated Olympic swim meet. Before the night was done, Ian Thorpe won his second straight gold in the 400 freestyle — a race he got into only through the generosity of an Australian teammate — and Jenny Thompson was denied her record-tying ninth gold medal when she gave up the lead to Australia on the final leg of the 400 free relay.

"It was a change of pace for me to be passed by someone," Thompson said. "It's usually the other way around."

The Aussies got the upper hand in their spirited swim rivalry with the Americans, winning two of the night's four races. But the powerful U.S. team claimed five medals in all, more than any other country on the first of eight days at the sweltering outdoor pool.

Phelps and teammate Erik Vendt got things started with a 1-2 finish. Phelps touched the wall in 4 minutes, 8.26 seconds, while Vendt was more than 3 1/2 seconds behind but good enough for silver at 4:11.81.

Phelps is just getting warmed up. He will likely swim in eight events, giving him a chance to break Spitz's record from the Munich Games.

So far, Phelps is following the script of the greatest swimmer in Olympic history: All seven of Spitz's wins were in record time.

"I'm a little bit less nervous," said Phelps, 19, of Baltimore. "I've got one off my shoulders and can relax a little bit."

Thorpe almost missed the 400 free — his best event — when he inexplicably fell off the starting block at the Australian trials, earning an automatic disqualification. But he got in when teammate Craig Stevens gave up his spot.