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Janet Evans watches the oldest world record in swimming fall. Hers. Set in 1989. But as Janet's mom points out: Janet is still the American record-holder.

The U.S. men's and women's 2008 Olympic swim team had finished dinner, had taken a team photo and had filed back into a meeting room at their Palo Alto, Calif., hotel that night, the atmosphere in the room getting drowsy, when men's coach Eddie Reese announced that breaststroker Eric Shanteau had something to say.

To win eight gold medals, Michael Phelps has to win the first, and that could be his toughest task. Teammate Ryan Lochte finished second to Phelps at the U.S. Olympic Trials and is certainly capable of putting a wrench in Phelps' historic quest.

Jessica Hardy withdrew Friday from the U.S. swim team that will compete at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Hardy, who tested positive at the U.S. Trials July 4 for the banned stimulant clenbuterol, "agreed to withdraw in the best interests of the team," the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said in a statement.

Kate Ziegler, world record-holder in the 1500m freestyle, has been an inconsistent performer this year. She won Thursday in Omaha and
Alan Abrahamson reports that she's confident heading into Trials.

Jason Lezak breaks his own American record in the 100-meter freestyle in the preliminary rounds of the U.S. Olympic Trials. Four minutes later, Garrett Weber-Gale breaks Lezak's mark. Is the world record next?

Dara Torres' accomplishment in qualifying at age 41 for her fifth Olympics has sent some of us scurrying to the history books.

As the legend goes, Duke Kahanamoku, born in Honolulu in 1890, more or less grew up on Wakiki Beach.

In 1912, at the Stockholm Olympics, he won the gold medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle. He won silver in the 4x200m free relay.

In 1920, in Antwerp, he struck double gold, in both the 100m and the 4x200m free relay.

In 1924, in Paris, he won silver in the 100m -- the gold going to Johnny Weissmuller, the bronze to Duke's brother, Samuel Kahanamoku.

In 1932, at age 41, Duke Dahanamoku served as an alternate on the U.S. water polo team that won bronze at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Ryan Lochte finished second in three events at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Don't feel sorry. He threw down one of history's great swim performances and affirmed he is a legitimate threat to win every race he enters in Beijing.

Someone has to take this particular leap of faith, and I do so here and now while acknowledging that there are no guarantees and it is absolutely impossible in some facets of life to prove innocence, and particularly in regards to matters of doping and sports.

I am absolutely willing to be wrong. And if I am wrong about Dara Torres, feel free to dredge this particular piece of work up however many months or years it is down the line and wave it scornfully in my face and tell me I'm naïve or a sucker or worse.

But I don't think I'm wrong. I'm confident I'm right.

After years of experience covering dopers and doping, after talking at length to Dara herself and to others who ought to know, I believe she is clean.

Instead of viewing her comeback and her accomplishments with suspicion if not skepticism if not outright cynicism, she deserves to be celebrated.

At age 41, the mother of a 2-year-old daughter, Dara is reshaping the boundaries of what is possible.

Brendan Hansen won the men's 100-meter breaststroke but then came in a stunning fourth in the 200m breast at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Sulk? No way.