World record holder Michael Phelps launched his bid for seven gold medals in style after easing into finals of the 400m individual medley at the opening day's competition of the Olympic Games Saturday in Athens.

The multi-world champion, who just set the world mark of four minutes 8.41 seconds on July 7, won the heat 5 in 4:13.29 and led the field of 36 swimmers.

The 19-year-old American looks almost sure to win the first swimming gold at the Olympics on Saturday night since his biggest potential challenger European champion Laszlo Cseh of Hungary clocked 4:14.26 in winning heat 4, 0.97 seconds behind him.

In the women's 100m butterfly event, world record holder and defending champion Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands took the second place in heat 5 with a time of 58.47 seconds, one second behind winner Petria Thomas of Australia, who was also the fastest among the 38 participants.

Otylia Jedrzejczak was second overall by winning heat 4 in 57.84 seconds.

De Bruijn won the event and set the world rocord of 56.61 seconds in the Sydney Olympic Games four years ago.

Australian superstar Ian Thorpe also made appearance and won heat 6 in the men's 400m butterfly with a time of 3:46.55.

The world record holder and defending champion is expected to win his first and the Games' second swimming gold in the night's final.

But Thorpe was not the fastest in the qualifying standings, 0.19 seconds behind heat 5 winner and compatriot Grant Hackett.

In the women's 400m individual medley, defending champion and world record holder Yana Klochkova of Ukraine advanced to the finals at ease in 4:38.36.

She won heat 4 and all the 24 swimmers. American Kaitlin Sandeno was second overally in 4:40.21.

World champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan showed superb form by winning the men's 100m breaststroke after breaking the Olympic record of 1:00.46 with a time of 1:00.03 in heat 7.

American Brendan Hansen, who set the current world record of 59.30 in the US Olympic trials, won heat 8 in 1:00.25 and was 0.22 seconds behind Kitajima in the overall standings.

The semifinals of the event will be held Saturday night and be followed by the finals.

Australia were fastest in the women's women's 4X100m freestyle relay heats in 3:38.26, 1.20 seconds ahead of defending champions the United States.

Source: Xinhua