Phelps faces first major test versus Peirsol today

Their showdown in the 200 backstroke will highlight a busy day for Michael Phelps.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Michael Phelps faces his first major challenge of the U.S. Olympic trials today in the 200-meter backstroke against world record-holder Aaron Peirsol.
Their showdown will be the highlight of another busy day for Phelps, who was scheduled to swim two semifinals and two finals today for the second consecutive day.
But he'll essentially be racing himself in the 200 individual medley final. He set the world record of 1 minute, 55.84 seconds last year in the world championships.
That mark might be in danger because Phelps was nearly four seconds faster than the rest of the field in semifinal qualifying Sunday night. He led the way in 1:57.64.
Rare back-seat
However, Phelps took a rare back-seat to Peirsol in the 200 back semifinals. Peirsol, the silver medalist from Sydney, was fastest in a trials record time of 1:55.33 -- just missing his world record by 0.18 seconds.
Phelps, conserving energy, won his heat in 1:57.30, two seconds slower than his personal best.
"It's good that I'm two seconds ahead of the field," Peirsol said. "I will do the best I can to hold [Phelps] off. I am not going to hold back. This isn't a place to do that."
Peirsol doesn't plan any gamesmanship when he steps to the starting block next to Phelps.
"There's no cat-fights before our races," he said. "We're a little bit bigger than that."
Schedule
Phelps was to begin today by swimming the 100 butterfly preliminaries in the morning. Then he was to follow his usual routine: return to his hotel to consume a foot-long turkey and avocado sandwich and take a two-hour nap. Then go back to the pool to swim both finals and the semis of the 100 fly.
He did the same thing Sunday, and coach Bob Bowman was pleased with the results.
"It's gone pretty well so far and he seems better every day," he said. "I don't understand it. He is recovering faster now than he was the first two days."
Phelps has already qualified for the Olympic team in the 400 IM, 200 free and 200 fly and earned a spot on the 800 free relay. He wants to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the Athens Games.
Natalie Coughlin, already on the team in the 100 backstroke, advanced to today's final in the 100 free with the fastest time, 54.30. Jenny Thompson was third (55.94), getting a chance to claim another Olympic spot along with the 100 fly.
Beard makes it three
Amanda Beard made her third Olympic team by winning the 100 breaststroke. She had a chance to reclaim her world record in the 200 breaststroke final today.
She was the quickest semifinalist with a time of 2:23.32 -- just 0.36 seconds off the mark set Friday by Australia's Leisel Jones.
Jones' time of 2:22.96 broke the record set by Beard at the 2003 world championships, 2:22.99.
Megan Quann won't defend her gold medal in the 100 breaststroke after failing to make the team. But she has one more chance in the 200 breaststroke, having qualified fifth.
Brendan Hansen set his second world record of the eight-day meet Sunday by winning the 200 breaststroke in 2:09.04. That bettered the mark of 2:09.42 set by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima in last year's world championships. Last week, Hansen broke Kitajima's record in the 100 breaststroke.
Lezak in strong start
The 100 freestyle went to Jason Lezak, who used a great start to silence Gary Hall Jr. after plenty of pre-race trash talk. Lezak won in 48.41, Ian Crocker was second in 49.06. Hall was third in 49.16.
Hall settled for third, still earning a trip to Athens on the relays and becoming part of the first father-son duo to make three Olympics apiece.
Hall leaned over the rope and shook hands with Lezak.
The Halls weren't the only happy family Sunday night.
Dana Kirk won the 200 butterfly to join older sister Tara on the team. They are the fifth set of siblings to make the same team but the first sisters.
Kaitlin Sandeno finished second to Dana Kirk at 2:09.94, claiming a spot in her third individual event for Athens.
Misty Hyman finished last in the eight-woman final, leaving the defending Olympic 200 fly champion off the team.