Phelps Finds Beijing Form As US Hoops Wins

Swimmer Qualifies In Freestyle Prelims After Willing Gold And Setting Record In Individual Medley; USA Basketball Beats China

(AP)  Michael Phelps qualified fourth-fastest in the Olympic 200-meter freestyle preliminaries Sunday night, about nine hours after winning a gold medal in the 400 individual medley.

Phelps never led in his heat and touched in 1 minute, 46.48 seconds, well off his world record set at last year's world championships.

"Tonight was just a race to get into tomorrow," he said. "I just try to conserve everything and make it into the semifinal. I try to bank as much rest as I can tonight - recover and sleep and try to warm down and get out of here as fast as I can, so I'm not getting so run down."

Phelps was still on an emotional high from winning the first swimming medal of these games, and doing so in world-record time. That put him on his way toward breaking fellow American Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in a single games.

Meanwhile, Yao Ming and the Chinese men's basketball team were no match for the U.S. in the Olympic opener for both teams.

Dwyane Wade scored 19 points and LeBron James added 18 as the Americans clobbered the host country 101-70. Kobe Bryant finished with 13 points for the U.S., which hit 21 of its first 25 shots inside the three-point arc.

The game was tied at 29 midway through the second quarter until the Americans went on a 16-3 run to take control. It was a 34-point lead by the time Michael Redd drained a three-pointer with 6:54 remaining.

Yao had 13 points, including a three-pointer that opened the scoring.

The U.S. faces Angola on Tuesday.

The U.S. men's soccer team almost played itself into the Olympic quarterfinals. The Americans had a 2-1 lead until the Netherlands scored in the third minute of injury time to salvage a 2-2 tie.

Jozy Altidore put the U.S. ahead 2-1 in the 72 minutes before the Dutch kept their own hopes alive for a spot in the quarterfinals. The Yanks are 1-0-1 in two games and share the Group B lead with Nigeria at four points apiece. The U.S. faces off against the Nigerians on Wednesday in the final group game for both in Beijing. The top two teams in each group advance.

In other Olympic action today:

-- American Dara Torres claimed the 10th Olympic medal of her career. The 41-year-old Torres anchored the U.S. women's 400-meter freestyle relay team to a silver medal behind the Netherlands' Olympic-record effort.

-- American Larsen Jenson earned a bronze medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle while Katie Hoff took bronze in the 400 IM.

-- The United States' men's volleyball team opened Olympic play with a 3-2 victory, a day after the coach's father-in-law was fatally stabbed at a Beijing tourist site. The American squad defeated Venezuela 25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10.

-- The American beach volleyball duo of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor easily won their opening-round match, but defending men's champs Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser lost to a Latvian team that was seeded 23rd in the 24-team field.

[downtowner97]

I don''t think it''s customary for US presidents to attend Olympics games. This president, however, seems determined to spend as little time in the White House as possible. I think Cheney pretty much retired him on his inauguration day.

[feistk]

Oh come on. I was present for several events in Atlanta ''96 and so were President Clinton, Hillary, and Al Gore. The events are supposed to be a celebration of athletics and patriotism. Just let it go snd enjoy the games, for crying out loud.

[hypnotoad72]

Well, at least this wasn''t about Fred Phelps...

[trrrorislamx]

CHINA STINKS,,,

ALWAYS HAS,,, ALWAYS WILL,,,

the U.S. government has warned Americans against muggings, beatings and even carjackings, especially in the nightlife and shopping districts of large cities.

TEAM USA ROCKS,,,