Two swimmers at the London Games have an early crack at becoming the first male swimmer to win a gold medal in the same event at three consecutive Games: Phelps and Kosuke Kitajima.
And both will have multiple opportunities.
Phelps will have the first turn. He swims the 400-meter individual medley on the competition's first night. If he fails, Kitajima is a strong favorite to do it the following night in the 100-meter breaststroke.
Kitajima has also won the 200-meter breaststroke at the past two Games, while Phelps has also won the 200-meter individual medley, the 100-meter butterfly, and 200-meter butterfly in Athens and Beijing. Kitajima's time in the 200-meter breaststroke at trials this year in Japan was the fastest recorded since swimming authorities banned super-fast bodysuits in 2010.
