Swimming: Phelps helps US team trounce Europeans in England

MANCHESTER, England — Michael Phelps helped his American team trounce a European all-star team in the Duel in the Pool, anchoring a relay to one of the eight world records the U.S. set over the two-day meet that ended Saturday.

The U.S. team won 185-78 in the last major meet before the Jan. 1 ban on high-tech polyurethane suits.

Phelps already has reverted to wearing an old-style textile suit and didn't fare well in the individual events dominated by swimmers in the soon-to-be banned suits.

In the 200 butterfly, the 14-time Olympic champion lost by a body length to Michael Rock of Britain, who was wearing a high-tech suit. And in the 200 freestyle, Phelps slumped to third.

"I'm disappointed a little bit because I would like to have swum a little faster, but this is more of a team event than anything else," Phelps said. "I'm not in great shape and I know what I have to do to improve. I'd rather lose a race now than when it really counts.

"The biggest things I'm looking forward to is the world championships next summer and the Olympics after that. If I can be prepared for those races I will be absolutely fine. These are all baby steps towards the big picture."

Soothing Phelps' concerns is the knowledge that everyone will be swimming in the old suits in less than two weeks.

"It will be more of a sport and not just putting on a suit," he said at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

Regardless of the suits, this duel against the best swimmers from Britain, Italy and Germany was never a contest.

As the Americans set world records from the first race on Friday — the women's 4x100-meter medley — to Saturday's finale featuring Phelps in the 4x100 freestyle, victory was beyond doubt.

The U.S. won 11 of 14 races on Friday and took an insurmountable with eight races to go on Saturday.

The U.S. beat Australia in the previous three Duel in the Pool events, the first time by 112 points in 2003.