OMAHA, Neb. — Brendan Hansen clung to the lane rope, glaring at the scoreboard. No matter how long he stared, the shocking result just wouldn't go away.

He wasn't first — or even second. He also won't be swimming one of his signature events at the Beijing Olympics.

In the first major stunner of the U.S. swimming trials, Hansen failed to make the Olympic team in the 200-meter breaststroke last night. The world recordholder less than a month ago was knocked out by a fourth-place showing, laboring to the finish in the wake of three countrymen.

Hansen's only solace: He still has a spot in the 100 breast and, most likely, the 400 medley relay.

It was of little comfort on this night.

"I did my best," said Hansen, the last of the eight finalists to leave the pool deck. "I gave everything in the pool tonight. I left it all out there. It just wasn't there. It wasn't my day."

Hansen led the first 150 meters, only to fade badly on the final lap as Scott Spann — a Hansen training partner — powered to the biggest win of his career. Eric Shanteau, who also trains with Hansen, was second.

Spann won in 2:09.97 — far off Kosuke Kitajima's world record of 2:07.51 set June 7 — and Shanteau locked up the expected second spot on the team in 2:10.36.

Hansen wasn't the only big name to falter on the fifth night of the meet, which failed to produce a world record for the second straight night. Six were set over the first three days.

Katie Hoff, who already had qualified for four individual events and one relay, failed to advance out of the semifinals of the 100 freestyle, denying her a chance to go for as many as eight medals in Beijing.

But Hoff's 11th-best time against a field that included Natalie Coughlin and 41-year-old Dara Torres wasn't that surprising — the 100 was by far the longest shot on the 19-year-old's grueling program.

Coughlin was the top qualifier for today's final in the women's 100 free. She won her heat in 53.64, touching just ahead of Torres, the four-time Olympian who has twice retired from swimming but is back again — 24 years after her first U.S. trials. Torres also moved on to the final with the second-best time (53.76).

"It was my best time ever," Torres said. "I had nerves, but it was a good nerves."

SUN MISSES FINALS OF 200 BACKSTROKE

Former 'Iolani and Stanford swimmer Hongzhe Sun finished 11th in the 200-meter backstroke semifinals yesterday at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.

The top eight advanced to today's finals. Sun clocked 1 minute, 59.68 seconds. Aaron Peirsol topped the semifinals in 1:55.78.

Sun's time of 2:01.01 earlier yesterday was good for the 15th of 16 semifinal spots.