Produced by Coleman Hodges.
Reported by Hannah Hecht.
While California Aquatics’ Tom Shields, who had posted the fastest time in prelims, took it out first, it was North Baltimore’s Michael Phelps who got his hands on the wall first. Shields turned at 24.09 and looked like he was in control of the race, but Phelps seemed to increase his intensity with each stroke, and he edged Shields, 51.38 to 51.41. Both Phelps and Shields posted world top-three times for the season. Phelps noted after the race that this was the first time he’d been under 52 in-season, and that he’d done it twice in one day. Fans should be optimistic about his summer.
Keep on believing in yourself, Tom!