 Phelps won six gold medals at the Athens Olympics |
Michael Phelps' bid to win a record eight gold medals at the World Championships ended at the first hurdle in Montreal on Sunday. The American failed to qualify for the 400m freestyle final, fading badly to finish seventh in his morning heat and 18th overall.
"I was surprised," said Phelps. "I was good in the warm-up but in the race it just wasn't there.
"That's not the way I wanted to start off. It was pretty disappointing."
He stopped the clock at three minutes 50.53 seconds, nearly six seconds behind Australian Grant Hackett's 3:50.53.
Phelps had never swum 400m freestyle at world or Olympic level before but added the event to his schedule because he wanted a fresh challenge.
He will still swim the 200m medley and the 100m butterfly as well as the 100m and 200m freestyle and the three relays.
"It's not the way I wanted to start but I have to get over it," said Phelps.
"I have to move on to my other races. I've got the relay tonight and I have to step up."
MMIX
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