In all the previous close races this past week, I've noticed that the swimmer who glides in rather than taking a last stroke has won, because the last stroke swimmer's hands don't get to the wall fast enough. When Phelps took that half-stroke I said to my wife "he lost it right there." But it worked!
And how stupid are Phelps' competitors, giving him ammo? First it was the French, then it was Cavic.