Michael Phelps, winner of 14 Olympic gold medals, took down two pool records on the first evening of action at the 2011 Eric Namesnik Michigan Grand Prix at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, 

Phelps clocked 1:48.45 in the 200m freestyle to edge out Ryan Lochte, on 1:48.69, and Austria's California-based Markus Rogan, on 1:49.23. "Both of us [Phelps and Lochte] hate to lose,” Phelps told reporters. "He’s somebody who has made a lot of improvements in and out of the pool and it shows in all of his races. I didn’t know we were going to take it down to the end. When I looked over and saw him, I just wanted to touch the wall first."

Phelps then confirmed his status at the helm of the 2011 world rankings in the 100m butterfly, on 52.30 (only he has gone faster this season), ahead of Poland’s Marcin Cieslak, 53.08, and China’s Wu Peng, on 53.26.

In other action, Dana Vollmer and Natalie Coughlin had a fine tussle in the 100m butterfly, Vollmer on 57.50, Coughlin on 58.05 and Daynara Paula (BRA), back from a doping suspension, on 58.69.

The women's 200m free went to Katie Hoff in 1:58.24, a touch down on the pool record she set in prelims. In her wake came Jasmine Tosky, 1:59.60, and Whitney Myers, 1:59.98.

Tyler Clary clocked 4:16.74 in the 400m medley ahead of Robert Margalis, 4:20.96, and Lithuania’s Vytautas Janusaitis, 4:21.86. In the women's equivalent, Caitlin Levernz took the win in 4:40.71 ahead of Stina Gardell, on 4:41.83, and Brazil’s Joann Maranhao, on 4:47.93.

Other winners were Annie Zhu on 1:11.17 in the 100m breaststroke, and in the same event among men Felipe Silva on 1:01.62 ahead of two Brazil teammates also under 1:02, Joao Gomes and Felipe Lima.