Magnini enjoys life in the fast lane while Phelps flops
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-07-29 11:32

Italy's Filippo Magnini took on the mantle of world's fastest man with a pulsating victory in the 100 metres freestyle at the world championships on Thursday, leaving the great Michael Phelps floundering in his wake.

The flamboyant Roman captured swimming's version of the 100m sprint in athletics when he charged home in 48.12 seconds, the second-fastest time in history, ahead of South Africans Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling.

"For me it was a dream to be at the top... I thought it would be third place because the two (South African) athletes are very strong but I won and am very happy," said Magnini, the second Italian to win a world freestyle title.

"It's my first medal in a world championship and a great dream that I have realised. I worked really hard for this."

As for Phelps, who came to Montreal with the intention of winning eight gold medals, he was never a factor and trailed home in seventh place.

The result brought an unsatisfactory end to the 20-year-old American's world championship experiment that added two new events, the 100m and 400m freestyle, to his programme with the intention of attempting them at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Results in Montreal indicate neither event will be part of Phelps's itinerary at the next Summer Games, as he failed to reach the final of the 400m on Sunday before flopping again in the shorter race.

"I was really surprised Michael Phelps didn't get on the podium," Magnini said.

"Along with the South Africans, he was the man I feared the most."

Swimming from lane three with Phelps on one shoulder and 50m gold medal winner Schoeman on the other, Magnini kept his composure in a thrilling race to touch the final wall 0.16 seconds ahead of the South African.

"It's great for such a small country to have two guys on the podium," Neethling said.

"Roland (Schoeman) and I were joking that a second and third place maybe equals a first place.

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