FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Michael Phelps shattered the American record in the 200-meter individual medley Monday on the opening day of the U.S. National Swimming Championships.

        Phelps, of Baltimore, finished in 1 minute, 58.68 seconds, to break the U.S. mark of 1:59.77 set by Tom Dolan in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Finland's Jani Sievinen set the world record of 1:58.16 in Rome in 1994.

        “My first 50, I felt unbelievable,” Phelps said. “Turning into the breaststroke, I heard people screaming and I knew something was going on, so I pretty much tried to turn it on and get in ahead.”

        Kevin Clements took second in 2:01.07, followed by Nate Dusing (Covington Catholic) in 2:01.37.

        Natalie Coughlin of Concord, Calif., edged Jenny Thompson of Dover, N.H., to win the 100 butterfly in 58.49 seconds.

        The 29-year-old Thompson has been back in the water for about two months after an extended break following the 2000 Olympics, where she won three gold medals.

        “I really felt good about what happened,” said Thompson, the most decorated U.S. swimmer in Olympic history with 10 overall medals, including eight golds. “It was nice to come back and be the underdog.”

        Coughlin, seeded second to Thompson going into the 100 butterfly final, said the night race was more difficult than the preliminaries.

        “It's great to be swimming against her and it's amazing she got into shape so quickly,” Coughlin said.

        In other finals Monday, Maggie Bowen of Jackson, Miss., won the 400 individual medley in 4:43.23, and Klete Keller of Phoenix took the 400-meter freestyle in 3:48.60.

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