Michael Phelps Nearly Botches First Swim Event At London Olympics 2012

Team USA doesn't seem to be up to a good start at the London Olympics 2012. The usually efficient Michael Phelps barely qualified in the 400-meter individual medley on Saturday.

"That one didn't feel too good," an obviously disappointed Phelps admitted after the race was over.

Still the two-time Olympic champion remained in good spirits."The only thing that matters is just getting a spot in," he said. "You can't win the gold medal from the morning." Luckily, he did earn that coveted spot for the evening's final swim, he made it by a mere seven-hundredth of a second. Phew!

The U.S Olympian was however fast enough to send one of Hungary's finest swimmers packing. Laszlo Cseh, who won the silver medalist in Beijing, finished ninth.

"I didn't expect those guys to go that fast in their heat," said Phelps. "I was slower this morning than I was four years ago."

Although he failed to perform to his usual best, Phelps is still considered one of the best. Needless to say, his fellow competitors are planning to keep a close eye on him.

You can't count him out," USA's own Ryan Lochte, who won the bronze medal at the last two world championships said of Phelps. "Even though he just squeaked in eighth, he's a racer. We're going to do everything we can to go 1-2 tonight."

To which he added, "My first race is always the worst one, I'm glad I got the cobwebs out."