David Leggat: Golden boy, golden moments, golden glow

So you want to run an Olympic swim meet to rival any that had gone before. What do you wish for on opening finals night?

How about a world record in the first event from US sensation Michael Phelps, the swimmer tipped to dominate the pool in Athens. Then add a memorable race in which Ian Thorpe once again holds off great rival Grant Hackett to retain his Olympic title in the event he has made his own over the last six years.

Make that the event he shouldn't even have been in after being disqualified at the Australian Olympic trials for his head-first early plunge.

Lob in another world record in the first relay - the Aussies pipping arch-rivals You Know Who by six-hundredths of a second - plonk that heady mix in a spectacular open arena on a hot, sweaty night, a full house of boisterous, flag-waving fans and team-mates and you're on track for a cracking week of swimming.

With the swimmers being tracked by cameras set like a trapeze act on a wire running high above the pool, cameras below water to show the mermaid-like kick of the sports' best female butterfly exponents and another which looms out over the swimmers as they approach the wall, all the angles are covered.

Phelps, chasing eight golds, stepped to the starting block with neither a wave nor smile for his roaring fans. He meant business and delivered, whipping up and down the pool in 4m 8.26s in the 400m individual medley, shaving 0.15s off his own world mark.

"This is a dream come true," the long, lean Baltimore teenager said later. And, "when I was a little lad I was waking up hoping to win an Olympic gold medal. It's everything I've always wanted to do and the day is here." And so on.

Thorpe, gifted a second chance in his favourite 400m freestyle by the man who replaced him, Craig Stevens, had to work for his win in an unspectacular 3m 43.10s, 3s outside his world mark.

He trailed shaven-headed team-mate Hackett at 100m, but got his nose back in front.

On the dais, medallists have a garland placed on their heads. Hackett's bald melon and Thorpe with his slightly Roman nose can carry it off. Phelps, with his slightly goofy appearance and sticky-out ears, didn't quite look the part. But get used to it. The chances are we'll be seeing it a few more times.