Michael Phelps clinches fifth Olympics berth

• Caitlin Leverez of Tucson misses out on second Olympics in 200 IM by five-hundreths of a second
• Matt Grevers of Tucson fails to qualify for 100 freestyle final

OMAHA, Neb. - On the fourth night of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, some of the sport's biggest names came ready to play.

Not only did Michael Phelps become the first American male to qualify for a fifth Olympics on the eve of his 31st birthday, but his Arizona State training partners Allison Schmitt and Cierra Runge (contingent on 26-woman roster composition) made it to Rio, too. So did Missy Franklin, claiming not just an 800 relay spot but second behind Katie Ledecky, winning her second event at CenturyLink Center.

Yet there also was heartbreak Wednesday for Matt Grevers and Caitlin Leverenz, symbolic of the inevitable torch passing here between swim generations. Leverenz of Tucson/Cal Aquatics missed out on her second Olympics by five-hundredths of a second in the 200-meter IM, even closer than Grevers' .48 margin out of second in the 100 backstroke Tuesday. Grevers, who lives in Tucson, could barely contain his emotions after taking 15th in the 100 free semifinals to miss out on the final and a chance to make the 400-free relay pool.

"I love this sport," Grevers, 31, said, his voice cracking. "That's dangerous sometimes. You have the greatest thrills of your life and sometimes you have disappointment. I couldn't prepare for that disappointment, visualize it. When it hits you, it's like a truck."

RELATED: Phelps begins his second farewell tour

MORE: Phelps opens at trials leading in 200 fly prelims

Phelps keeps outracing that truck, winning the trials 200 butterfly for the fourth time to break a tie with Jason Lezak for most American male Olympic swim appearances. He will try to add to his 18 gold/22 total medals in Rio, Aug. 5-21, already the most by an athlete in any sport.

"That was probably harder than any swim I've had in my life," Phelps said. "I didn't feel good the first two swims and didn't really feel that good tonight, but getting on the team was the most important thing. So I tried to take it out and prayed that I was going to hang on."

He did, winning in 1:54.84, just under a second faster than his junior by six years Tom Shields. Chase Kalisz, who also trains in Tempe in a group coached by Bob Bowman, was fifth, but he already is through to Rio as 400 IM champion.

Until Wednesday, Dara Torres was the only U.S. swimmer with five Olympics to her name. The 49-year-old, who nearly made a sixth Olympics in 2012, remembered the 15-year-old Phelps swimming at his first Olympics in 2000.

MORE: Grevers misses out on Rio in 100 backstroke

"Just to see his emotions and how excited he was," stood out, Torres said. "The other thing,he can share this with his son one day. That's the one thing I was excited about when I had my daughter in 2008. It makes the Olympic experience a little bit different."

Phelps gave his 8-week-old son Boomer a kiss after the medal ceremony.

"He was sound asleep," Phelps said, despite the roaring from another sellout crowd. "I don't know if he was awake during the race. It's just special having him as part of the journey we're on right now."

Phelps, too, reflected on himself at 15 and his two decades training with Bowman, going into his first Olympics as U.S. men's head coach and his second year at ASU.

"I remember him," Phelps said of his teenage self. "I don't know if he would recognize who I am today, but I definitely recognize him and I recognize the journey from the start of it when Bob and I first started when I was 11."

RELATED: Cordes leads 200 breast swim trials prelims

Grevers, Franklin in the 100 back and Ryan Lochte in the 400 IM are London Olympic gold medalists not returning in those events. So Phelps, who will be going for a third gold in the 200 fly after getting silver in London, was not taking his spot for granted. And he still has work to do here in the 200 IM starting Thursday followed by the 100 fly. Phelps scratched from the 100 free Wednesday, like he did earlier in the 200 free, but certainly he will receive relay consideration from Bowman.

Schmitt, 26, a six-time Olympic medalist, has been along on much of the ride from North Baltimore Aquatic Club to Tempe, going public last year about her issues with depression and becoming a mental health advocate. She was fourth and Runge, 20, fifth in the 200 free, earning Olympic 800 relay positions.

"I honestly didn't think I would be standing here," Schmitt said. "I know there was many thought of quitting, but to know I'm going to represent the U.S. one more time is really the most unbelievable feeling."

Kevin Cordes, already a first-time Olympian in the 100 breaststroke, could add a second individual event Thursday. The two-time University of Arizona NCAA Swimmer of the Year set a U.S open (fastest on American soil) record in the 200 breast semifinals (2:07.81) to go with the American record he swam in the 100 breast semis.