Phelps in 400 IM - for now

OMAHA, Neb. — Michael Phelps could have a showdown with rival Ryan Lochte on the very first day of the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.

USA Swimming announced Sunday that Phelps passed on the deadline to scratch from the 400-meter individual medley, meaning the winningest Olympian will at least swim the preliminary round today.

Should he qualify for the evening final and decide to race it, he likely would be pitted against Lochte and Tyler Clary, who went 1-2 in the event at last year’s world championships.

Phelps will swim in the 10th of 12 prelim heats. Clary will go in the 11th, followed by Lochte in the final heat.

“We would like to see what he can do in the event,” Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, told The Associated Press. “He’s done a few decent ones in season, so we are taking a shot and seeing how it goes.”

Phelps won the 400 IM at the last two Olympics, but vowed after Beijing to give up the grueling event that requires all four strokes. He changed his mind, putting the race back in his program at several Grand Prix meets leading up to Omaha.

Lochte said Saturday he looked forward to facing Phelps in as many events as possible.

“He’s the world’s best swimmer ever,” Lochte said. “I love racing against him. It’s fun. He’s one of the hardest racers in the world.

He’llgo toe-to-toe with you until the end. That’s excitement for me. I really hope he does swim that.”

But the Americans have plenty of power beyond Phelps and Lochte, who won five golds at last year’s world championships - including a sweep of both head-to-head races with Phelps.

Start with Natalie Coughlin, who’s two medals away from becoming this country’s most decorated female Olympic swimmer. Move on to Missy Franklin, just 17 years old but already touted as the sport’s next big athlete - along with the return of Janet Evans, 40, and Dara Torres, going for her sixth Olympic team at age 45.

“I’m so excited to be here,” Franklin said Sunday. “I feel ready. I feel so prepared. I just want to get started.”

Franklin, who just finished her junior year of high school, won three golds and five medals overall at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai, establishing herself as America’s top female prospect.

Of course, Coughlin might have something to say about that. She won 11 medals over the last two Olympics, leaving her one shy of Jenny Thompson’s career record.