Best race you've ever seen?

I'm going to limit my response to races I've seen in person. My "best" is: USA Swimming-National Meets 2004 U. S. Olympic Team Trials - 7/7/2004 to 7/14/2004 Event 1 Men 400 LC Meter IM ================================================================== World: W 4:09.09 7/27/2003 Michael Phelps, USA American: A 4:09.09 7/27/2003 Michael Phelps, USA U.S. Open: O 4:10.73 4/6/2003 Michael Phelps, USA Meet: M 4:12.72 3/7/1996 Tom Dolan, Michigan/CUBU Oly. Tr. Cut: 4:28.89 Name Age Team Prelims Finals ================================================================== === Finals === 1 Phelps, Michael 19 North Baltimore 4:16.11 4:08.41W 26.15 55.66 (29.51) 1:27.00 (31.34) 1:57.85 (30.85) 2:34.04 (36.19) 3:10.75 (36.71) 3:40.39 (29.64) 4:08.41 (28.02) 2 Vendt, Erik 23 Trojan Swim Club 4:19.75 4:14.09 27.16 58.23 (31.07) 1:30.88 (32.65) 2:02.46 (31.58) 2:38.04 (35.58) 3:14.86 (36.82) 3:45.08 (30.22) 4:14.09 (29.01) 3 Shanteau, Eric 20 Swim Atlanta/Aub 4:20.16 4:15.08 28.08 59.70 (31.62) 1:32.77 (33.07) 2:05.68 (32.91) 2:40.57 (34.89) 3:16.05 (35.48) 3:46.20 (30.15) 4:15.08 (28.88) 4 Lochte, Ryan 19 Daytona Beach Sw 4:17.45 4:18.46 27.02 57.71 (30.69) 1:29.98 (32.27) 2:01.90 (31.92) 2:39.49 (37.59) 3:18.59 (39.10) 3:48.39 (29.80) 4:18.46 (30.07) 5 Donnelly, Eric 24 Gator Swim Club/ 4:24.57 4:21.91 27.22 58.32 (31.10) 1:31.59 (33.27) 2:05.00 (33.41) 2:42.20 (37.20) 3:21.31 (39.11) 3:52.29 (30.98) 4:21.91 (29.62) 6 Wilkens, Tom 28 Stanford Swimmin 4:22.39 4:23.50 27.42 58.57 (31.15) 1:33.19 (34.62) 2:07.08 (33.89) 2:43.23 (36.15) 3:20.62 (37.39) 3:52.67 (32.05) 4:23.50 (30.83) 7 Mellors, Patrick 18 Jewish Community 4:20.70 4:23.72 27.32 58.69 (31.37) 1:33.04 (34.35) 2:05.92 (32.88) 2:44.24 (38.32) 3:22.95 (38.71) 3:54.00 (31.05) 4:23.72 (29.72) 8 Fahey, Paul 21 Usc 4:24.82 4:29.18 27.97 59.98 (32.01) 1:35.09 (35.11) 2:09.50 (34.41) 2:46.95 (37.45) 3:25.58 (38.63) 3:58.18 (32.60) 4:29.18 (31.00)

I'm going to limit my response to races I've seen in person. My "best" is: USA Swimming-National Meets 2004 U. S. Olympic Team Trials - 7/7/2004 to 7/14/2004 Event 1 Men 400 LC Meter IM ================================================================== World: W 4:09.09 7/27/2003 Michael Phelps, USA American: A 4:09.09 7/27/2003 Michael Phelps, USA U.S. Open: O 4:10.73 4/6/2003 Michael Phelps, USA Meet: M 4:12.72 3/7/1996 Tom Dolan, Michigan/CUBU Oly. Tr. Cut: 4:28.89 Name Age Team Prelims Finals ================================================================== === Finals === 1 Phelps, Michael 19 North Baltimore 4:16.11 4:08.41W 26.15 55.66 (29.51) 1:27.00 (31.34) 1:57.85 (30.85) 2:34.04 (36.19) 3:10.75 (36.71) 3:40.39 (29.64) 4:08.41 (28.02) 2 Vendt, Erik 23 Trojan Swim Club 4:19.75 4:14.09 27.16 58.23 (31.07) 1:30.88 (32.65) 2:02.46 (31.58) 2:38.04 (35.58) 3:14.86 (36.82) 3:45.08 (30.22) 4:14.09 (29.01) 3 Shanteau, Eric 20 Swim Atlanta/Aub 4:20.16 4:15.08 28.08 59.70 (31.62) 1:32.77 (33.07) 2:05.68 (32.91) 2:40.57 (34.89) 3:16.05 (35.48) 3:46.20 (30.15) 4:15.08 (28.88) 4 Lochte, Ryan 19 Daytona Beach Sw 4:17.45 4:18.46 27.02 57.71 (30.69) 1:29.98 (32.27) 2:01.90 (31.92) 2:39.49 (37.59) 3:18.59 (39.10) 3:48.39 (29.80) 4:18.46 (30.07) 5 Donnelly, Eric 24 Gator Swim Club/ 4:24.57 4:21.91 27.22 58.32 (31.10) 1:31.59 (33.27) 2:05.00 (33.41) 2:42.20 (37.20) 3:21.31 (39.11) 3:52.29 (30.98) 4:21.91 (29.62) 6 Wilkens, Tom 28 Stanford Swimmin 4:22.39 4:23.50 27.42 58.57 (31.15) 1:33.19 (34.62) 2:07.08 (33.89) 2:43.23 (36.15) 3:20.62 (37.39) 3:52.67 (32.05) 4:23.50 (30.83) 7 Mellors, Patrick 18 Jewish Community 4:20.70 4:23.72 27.32 58.69 (31.37) 1:33.04 (34.35) 2:05.92 (32.88) 2:44.24 (38.32) 3:22.95 (38.71) 3:54.00 (31.05) 4:23.72 (29.72) 8 Fahey, Paul 21 Usc 4:24.82 4:29.18 27.97 59.98 (32.01) 1:35.09 (35.11) 2:09.50 (34.41) 2:46.95 (37.45) 3:25.58 (38.63) 3:58.18 (32.60) 4:29.18 (31.00)