OMAHA, NEB. - Cullen Jones rocketed to an American record in the 50-meter freestyle preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on the Fourth of July.

Jones, a former N.C. State star, touched in 21.59 seconds, lowering the old mark of 21.76 set by Gary Hall Jr. at the 2000 trials. Jones gulped one breath halfway through Friday's chaotic race.

"I'll take an American record," he said, smiling. "I definitely put my head down when I was going into the wall, but I think there's a lot more in the tank."

He, Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Hall were the only men to finish in less than 22 seconds in the morning heats.

Wildman-Tobriner qualified second in 21.68; Hall, the 33-year-old, two-time defending Olympic champion, was third in 21.89. All three advanced to the final later Friday, with Wildman-Tobriner (21.65) edging Jones (21.71) in the semifinals.

Raleigh native Matt McGinnis, a former student at Ravenscroft, finished seventh in his 50 free semifinal heat and failed to qualify for the final.

"Everybody anticipated that record was going down," Hall said. "There's just been too much fast swimming in the world. Records don't last, especially these days."

Especially with Michael Phelps around.

Fresh off an endorsement from Mark Spitz, the iconic star he'll try to better in Beijing, Phelps set another world record to win the 200-meter individual medley.

Phelps claimed his fourth individual victory of the trials in 1 minute, 54.80 seconds, beating the mark of 1:54.98 he set while winning seven events at last year's world championships in Australia.

"I just tried to hang on," he said. "I was hurting that last 50."

It was the second world record of the meet for Phelps, who also swam faster than anyone in history to win the 400 IM. His only piece of unfinished business: the 100 butterfly and an expected showdown with world recordholder Ian Crocker.

Phelps must finish first or second in that event tonight to ensure he swims eight events at the Olympics. Then he'll need to win them all to beat Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Spitz, who was at the Qwest Center and presented Phelps with his award for winning the 200 IM, believes the 23-year-old from Baltimore has a good chance to take down the Holy Grail of Olympic records. He came close four years ago, winning six golds and two bronzes at Athens.

"It's time for someone else to take the baton of responsibility," Spitz said. "Thirty-six years is a long time."

It's been a long time since Dara Torres made her first Olympic team -- 24 years, to be exact. Now 41 and with a 2-year-old daughter, she completed her improbable Olympic comeback, making the U.S. team for the fifth time by winning the 100 free.

Wearing goggles older than some of her competitors, Torres got off to a blazing start and guarded her lead on the furious return lap to win in 53.78, beating out Natalie Coughlin's 53.83. Cheering from the stands was Torres' daughter, Tessa.

Torres, who made her Olympic debut at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, has twice retired from competitive swimming. A nine-time medalist, she already was the first U.S. swimmer to make four Olympic teams.

Now, make it five.

Torres climbed from the water with a big smile and gave her coach, Michael Lohberg, a long hug. She broke down in tears while "American Woman" blared from the speakers.

"I'm ecstatic. I can't believe it," Torres said. "It's sort of bittersweet for me because I've made my fifth Olympic team, but I'm going to be away from my daughter for a month and that's really hard emotionally.

"But I'm happy to be going to Beijing."

Amanda Beard is also heading back to the Olympics. She became a four-time member of the U.S. team by finishing second to runaway winner Rebecca Soni in the 200 breaststroke.

"I never get used to this," Beard said. "I'm pumped. This is fun."

Soni touched far ahead of the field in 2:22.60 to make her first Olympic squad -- just off Beard's American record of 2:22.44 set at the 2004 trials.

Aaron Peirsol gained a measure of revenge for his upset loss at the 2007 world championships, tying the world record in the 200 backstroke and beating nemesis Ryan Lochte. The two were stroke for stroke the whole race, but Peirsol lunged to the wall just ahead of Lochte to win in 1:54.32, equaling the mark set by Lochte at the last worlds.

Of local interest, the Marlins of Raleigh's Jason Miller swam to a 48th-place finish in the 100 butterfly. Miller's first 50 split was faster than Phelps'.

Kirsten Smith finished 38th in the 200 back in 2:16.07, breaking the North Carolina state record in the event.

The Marlins of Raleigh finished the week with five state records.

"Our swimmers were so composed in the most pressured packed meet on the planet," MOR coach Paul Silver said. "I was so proud of their preparation."

MOR's Kelsy Smith, just 15 months removed from shoulder surgery, finished 47th in the 200 back (2:16.52), and Kassia Shishkoff finished 48th in the 800 free (8:59.96).