Milo Cavic: Will he deprive Michael Phelps of Olympic history?

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BEIJING -- We didn’t have enough time before deadline in the Los Angeles Times sports section this morning to bring you the provocative quotes from one Milo Cavic.

He is the Anaheim-born, Tustin-raised University of California-educated Serbian swimmer who beat Michael Phelps in the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly Thursday and believes he can do it again in the final Saturday morning (Friday night in the United States).

‘It would be good for the sport if he loses,’’ Cavic, 24, said of Phelps.

I think what he meant is that it would be good for Cavic.

‘It would be nice if historians talk about Michael Phelps winning seven gold medals and losing the eighth to some guy,’’ he said. ‘I’d like to be that guy.’’

Cavic is known within swimming circles for his Serbian loyalty -- he was disqualified from the European championships this summer because he wore a T-shirt deemed disrespectful of Kosovo’s independence from Serbia.

But he acknowledges that he has enjoyed a peaceful life in Orange County.

‘I didn’t have to sleep in a bunker for a few years,’’ he said. ‘I’ve had a great life. There’s no way I’d say a bad word about the U.S.’’

-- Randy Harvey