At the peak of his career, Michael Phelps was upstaged in a race by a swimmer who went four seconds slower.
Australian Libby Trickett held her own against Phelps to lead off the opening event of the 2007 Duel in the Pool, a mixed-gender 4x100m freestyle relay. Trickett, then known as Libby Lenton shortly before she got married, clocked 52.99 seconds to Phelps’ 48.72 in a head-to-head race at the Sydney 2000 Olympic swimming venue.
“I was trash-talking … asking what he has got and telling him if he is going to bring it tonight.