After five titles, Phelps comes up short in 1,500

May 21, 2007

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps lost for the first time in six individual finals at the Eric Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix, finishing second to Club Wolverine teammate Erik Vendt in the 1,500-meter freestyle yesterday.

Vendt won in 15 minutes, 31.29 seconds, and Phelps swam a 15:34.18.

"It feels pretty good [to beat Phelps], but it is my event," Vendt said. "He was coming into my territory."

Six weeks after winning seven gold medals and setting five world records at the world championships in Melbourne, Australia, Phelps returned to competition at the Grand Prix, swimming in a morning finals setting that mirrors the format that will be used at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.