Phelps 3 for 3 at Olympic trials

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Mark Spitz draped the medal around Michael Phelps’ neck and pulled the teenager close, whispering in his ear.

Then Spitz hopped atop the podium, held Phelps’ right hand in the air and pointed at him as if to say, “He’s the man now.”

The swimming baton was passed Saturday.

Michael Phelps made it three in a row at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, dominating the 200-meter butterfly to stay on course in his bid to break Spitz’s record of seven gold medals.

In a symbolic moment, the two met for the first time during the award ceremony. It seemed as if Spitz was giving his blessing for the 19-year-old to take down one of sport’s most revered records when he gets to Athens next month.

“I think he really has a chance to do this,” said Spitz, who won his seven golds at the 1972 Munich Games. “That’s one of the things I told him.”

The only disappointment for Phelps: He came up just short of his own world record in the 200 fly, going out a little too fast and fading to a time of 1 minute, 54.31 seconds. The mark that still stands, 1:53.93, was set at last year’s world championships.

It was Phelps’ third individual win of the trials, following a world-record performance in the 400 individual medley and Friday’s victory in the 200 freestyle. He has three more individual events to swim at the trials, facing his busiest schedule yet today and Monday. If all goes well, he will swim eight races over those two days.

“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” he said.

Phelps also has earned a spot on the 800 freestyle relay team and hopes to swim the other two relays, as well, giving him as many as nine chances to eclipse Spitz.

And now — finally — the two have met.

“Wow!” Phelps said. “That’s probably one of the most exciting moments I’ve had in sports.”

Former world record-holder Tom Malchow won the 200 fly at the Sydney Games, while Phelps finished fifth at age 15. The tide turned over the past four years, with Phelps maturing into the world’s most dominant swimmer.

Malchow also is likely to make the team after finishing second to Phelps.

In the women’s 200 freestyle, 16-year-old Dana Vollmer upset American record-holder Lindsay Benko in the final. Benko scratched from the 400 free to focus on the shorter event, but Vollmer caught her at the finish to win with a time of 1:59.20.

Benko held on for second at 1:59.29, while Kaitlin Sandeno and Rhi Jeffrey also earned relay spots by finishing third and fourth.

Vollmer has a rare ailment that could cause her heart to stop at any time. She keeps a defibrillator nearby.

In the other final Saturday, 15-year-old Katie Hoff knocked off three-time Olympian Amanda Beard in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:12.06. Hoff is a member of the same swim club as Phelps, North Baltimore.

Beard took second and a likely Olympic spot at 2:12.43. Both already had made the team in other events.