USA ONE UP ON AUSTRALIA

BEIJING, CHINA, August 6: When Australia's swim team held their press conference in the Main Press Centre yesterday it was the biggest media gathering of the entire pre-Games period in Beijing.

Now it is the second biggest. Michael Phelps is not used to being anything but number one in the pool and so it was today in the press centre when the world's media turned out in force for the press conference he shared with team mate and 41-year-old mum Dara Torres. DAVID LYALL AOC REPORTS...

Recording every move of the Australians was about 30 television cameras and 100 journalists. Capturing every breath taken by Phelps (and Torres and Phelps' coach Bob Bowman) was 46 camera crews and close on 200 writers. It was massive.

The questioning was predictable, their answers even more so. For Phelps it was his quest for eight gold medals, Mark Spitz, morning finals, his celebrity and Ryan Lochte. For Torres it was her age, drug aspersions, smog, her age and, well, drug aspersions.

Both calmly and confidently reminded the questioners who asked the predictable that they had answered the question before. Phelps has been regurgitating the same answer to the same regurgitation for the last five years, Torres for almost a decade.

Phelps's quest for eight gold medals, Mark Spitz, morning finals, Torres' age, drugs. Over and over, again and again. It was mind numbing for all. Imagine being Phelps or Torres.

Oh, and Michael, can you talk to us about your desire to break Spitz's Olympic record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics?

"You guys are the ones talking about it, I'm not saying anything. I'm just going through and doing what I have to do and preparing myself in the best way I can. That's my goal and that's what I'm going to stick with. I haven't said anything about breaking any record or going after any records."

It's okay Michael, everyone else will say it for you. Ok, maybe you would like to tell us about the issues with the non traditional morning finals format?

"I have said this before and I'll say it again. It's the Olympics Games and you have to be ready to swim and compete whenever you have the opportunity."

And apparently you have to be ready to tell anyone whose been living on another planet for the last few years what you told the rest of us like, oh, a gazillion times.

Maybe Dara will have something to say? What about you Dara, are you taking drugs?

"I've answered this question at least 1000 times and I think it's getting old. I have done everything I possibly can. I'm one of the few athletes that have asked to be tested, to be tested differently."

And so it went on, just as it has since Torres made her first stunning comeback for the 2000 Olympics and again for these Games.

There were some other questions - Phelps said he didn't know that Dutch legend Pieter van den Hoogenband had withdrawn from the 200 metres freestyle; he wasn't scared of losing and he loved a challenge; the Olympic Village was great and China has done a great job getting the Games ready. And on it went, camera shutters clicking, pens emptying.

Unlike yesterday the rivalry between the USA and Australian swim teams was never mentioned, it didn't need to be. We all needed to find out what Michael though about Spitz's record and whether Dara was really 41 and really taking drugs.