Race Footage: Watch The Amazing Tie Between Michael Phelps, Tom Shields

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SANTA CLARA, California, June 21. THE finale of the men’s 100-meter fly drew a huge ovation both at the beginning and end of the swim at the Arena Grnad Prix in Santa Clara.

First, the crowd was fired up just to see Phelps swim, and gave him a hero’s welcome during introductions. Then, after an exciting finale produced a tie between Phelps and California’s Tom Shields with matching 52.11s, the crowd proved happy with the outcome.

Phelps tracked down the win after his first double since returning to competition at the Mesa stop of the Grand Prix series. He previously took second in the 100 fly to Ryan Lochte in Mesa, then won the 100 fly in Charlotte. Tonight, he tied Shields following a second-place outing in the 100 free earlier in the night with a 48.80. That’s a solid outcome for the superstar as he continues to round into form.

It must be fate for Phelps and Shields to be locked together time-wise. At the 2013 NCAA championships, Shields tied Phelps’ U.S. Open record in the 200-yard butterfly, a record they shared until this year’s NCAA meet.

The swims tonight moved both Phelps and Shields into a tie for 10th in the world rankings with Ryan Lochte as the top American with a 51.93 from the Mesa stop of the Grand Prix. Stanford’s Eugene Godsoe wound up taking third in the finale with a 53.11.

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