World | 2012 London Olympics Near Stunner: Phelps Barely Qualifies Meanwhile, the Olympics gets its first doping scandal By John Johnson Posted Jul 28, 2012 9:48 AM CDT Copied Michael Phelps reacts after the 400-meter individual medley heat. He qualified, but barely. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Some milestones on day one of the London Olympics: First near upset: Michael Phelps just barely qualified in his first event, the 400-meter individual medley, reports AP. "That one didn't feel too good," said Phelps, who squeaked into the eighth and final spot by seven-hundredths of a second. First gold medal: Yi Siling of China won it in the 10-meter air rifle competition, reports the BBC. First doping scandal: Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku tested positive for steroids and got the boot, the first athlete so sanctioned at these Games, reports the Wall Street Journal. Breach of Olympic spirit: (This one is not a first.) Lebanon's judo team refused to practice on the same mat as the Israeli team, forcing Olympic officials to erect a screen between them, reports the Jerusalem Post. Read These Next University does 180 on professor fired for Charlie Kirk post. News outlets parse the fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Christian author Philip Yancey admits to a long-term affair. Snow is sinking boats in Alaska. Report an error