The most accomplished swimmer Michael Phelps saw his dream come true when he won the men's 400m individual medley in a world record feat on the first day of the swimming competition at the Olympic Games Saturday.

In Sunday's first swimming final, American Phelps looked set to prove his domination in his pet event as he led his nearest opponent Laszlo Cseh of Hungary by also a body's length after the first 100m.

The 19-year-old Maryland native continued his pace to race within the world record time until he clinched the easy victory in four minutes 8.26 seconds, shaving 0.15 seconds off his own previous world mark. His teammate Erik Vendt got the silver.

"It's a dream come true for me. Since I was a little kid, I woke up every day dreaming of winning an Olympic gold medal," said the quadruple world champion.

"I heard him (Vendt) scream and I turned to the scoreboard and went nuts," Phelps recalled the moment he became aware that a new world record was born.

"I saw the time, the world record and I was pumped."

"I've been working for this a lot. Something I've dreamed and worked for all my life. I am still at a loss for words," he said.

Phelps, rated the world's best all-round swimmer, qualified for six events but he chose to give up the 200m backstroke considering the competing schedule.

He now holds the world records in three of them: the 200m and 400m medleys and the 200m butterfly.

He will swim in the 200m freestyle Sunday and has a 100m fly on his competing schedule.

Jumping off to a perfect start in the Olympics, Phelps moved a step closer to his goal of being the greatest of all time by beating Mark Spitz' record of seven gold medals at a single Olympic Games.

First of all, he has to get past Australian ace Ian Thorpe in the 200m free before he faces world record-holding compatriot Ian Crocker.

"It is a very challenging event. I will swim as fast as I can in all events but it will be hard," he said.

"It's been his (Thorpe's) event for the last four years. Let's see what happens now," Phelps added.

Thorpe became the triple Olympic champion after he claimed the 400m free gold as well as two relay titles on home soil four years ago.

Although Phelps' relay prospect is not certain as he has to swim well to be in the 4x200m freestyle lineup and vie for a berth in the 4x100m medley relay against Crocker as well as the 4x100m free relay, he would like to give it a try.

"I would say anything is possible. I am keeping my options open," he said.

"In 1980, nobody thought that anyone could beat the Russians in ice hockey but the American did it, so nothing is impossible," Phelps said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2004)