Phelps lowers Olympic record in 400 IM prelims
Associated Press
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BEIJING — Michael Phelps lowered his own Olympic record as the fastest qualifier in the 400-meter individual medley preliminaries.
The American won his heat Saturday night in 4 minutes, 7.82 seconds, bettering his Olympic record of 4:08.26 set four years ago in Athens. Phelps was under his world-record pace after 150 meters of the four-stroke race, but eased off to save something for Sunday's final.
Laszlo Cseh of Hungary, the bronze medalist in Athens, was second-fastest in 4:09.26. Luca Marin of Italy was third in 4:10.22, and American Ryan Lochte qualified fourth in 4:10.33.
