Phelps celebrates birthday with another heat win

By Julian Linden

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps celebrated his 27th birthday on Saturday by setting the fastest qualifying time in his final heat before the London Olympics.

Showing no sign of fatigue or weariness after his grueling schedule, Phelps cruised through the preliminary round of the 100 meters butterfly when he won his heat in 51.80 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Phelps has already qualified for London in three individual events and remains on course to add two more, the 100 butterfly and the 200 individual medley, which will be decided on Saturday night.

"I was happy with that, I think it's probably one of my fastest morning heats ever," he told reporters.

"The biggest thing was to make sure I got in the second (semi). It gives me an extra three minutes to recover after the IM and every minute helps."

Colorado teenager Missy Franklin stayed on track to swim seven events in London after topping the qualifiers in the women's 200 backstroke.

The 17-year-old stopped the clock at two minutes 08.35 seconds, more than half a second ahead of her closest rival. She will swim in the 100 freestyle final on Saturday night, which doubles as a chance to make the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Anthony Ervin, the 31-year-old 2000 Sydney Olympics champion, outsprinted his younger opponents to post the quickest time in the 50 freestyle heats at 21.83, while Kate Ziegler was fastest in the women's 800 freestyle heats in 8:027.61.