15-Year-Old Makes Olympic Swim Team

I N D I A N A P O L I S, Aug. 12 -- Michael Phelps seems to be your normal15-year-old. He likes hanging out with friends, playing video gamesand listening to rap music.

Well, now he’s got to make time for the Olympics.

The Baltimore teenager became the youngest male swimmer in 68years to make the American team, heading to Sydney after finishingsecond to world-record holder Tom Malchow in the 200-meterbutterfly tonight.

“Phelps is awesome,” said Malchow, 23, of Ann Arbor, Mich. “Imight have retired a little sooner with someone like that comingup. He didn’t get caught up in the hype, which is a credit to him.He stuck to his game plan.”

Faded Down Stretch

Malchow was on pace at the selection trials to break his ownworld record before fading badly in the final 50 meters. The crowdat the Indiana University Natatorium groaned in disappointment.

There has yet to be a world record at the halfway point of theeight-day games, but Malchow accomplished his main goal by makingthe Olympic team. His winning time of 1 minute, 56.87 seconds was1.69 off the mark he set June 17 in Charlotte, N.C.

“Everybody was expecting to see a world record,” Malchow said.“I was trying to provide one, but I got a little too caught up init. At times, it’s a lot hanging on my head.”

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Youngest Member Since 1932

Closing fast, Phelps touched at 1:57.48 to earn the secondOlympic berth. He becomes the youngest member of the men’s teamsince 13-year-old Ralph Flanagan competed in the 1932 Los AngelesGames.

Flanagan didn’t finish his race, the 1,500 freestyle. He bouncedback to make the team again four years later, competing in threeevents in Berlin and winning a silver as part of the 800 freestylerelay.

Phelps, who turned 15 on June 30, actually made this year’s teamwith ease, cruising away from Jeff Somensatto (1:58.07).

“He doesn’t know what it means to go to the Olympics and howit’s going to change his life,” said Malchow, a silver medalistand youngest man on the American team in 1996. “He’s going to findout soon.”