Omaha-With the rain falling outside, the morning after an exciting night of swimming started to show cracks in the design of an 8 day program. With only the women's 50 and 10 heats of the men's 1500, the morning was a step down from last night's Independence Day celebrations.

Women's 50 Free

Breaststroking queen turned freestyle sprint star Jessica Hardy (TROJ) got it off to a fast start with a 24.63 to win her heat. She was swimming in clear water for the last 15 metres.

But is was the unknown from Arizona, Lara Jackson (FORD), who bested the American record with her 24.50, which lowered it from Dara Torres' time set last summer of 24.53. Torres was second with a 24.72. Still, Libby Trickett's (nee Lenton) time of 22.97 seems untouchable. Especially to the winners of the second seeded heat: Lacey Nymeyer (FORD) and Kara Lynn Joyce (ABSC) in 25.01 and 25.04.

"I'm shocked!" said Jackson after her dash. "I just wanted to make semis!" That is the understatement of the Trials.

Men's 1500 Free

Peter Vanderkaay (CW) swam all alone in the first seeded heat-finishing over 25 metres ahead of the second swimmer in his heat with a 15:06.24. Larsen Jensen swam alone in his heat, winning in 15:11.99.

But it was Erik Vendt (Cw), who secured his ticket to Beijing with a 6th place finish in the 200 free, and a personal best in the 400, who looked the strongest. On American record pace through the 800, he backed off the second half (a very different strategy) still swimming a very impressive 14:50.24, a new US Trials record. "I didn't expect to go that fast," said Vendt. "I didn't want to go that fast! But I did want to put in a good swim."