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OMAHA, Neb. - Judgment Day at the Olympic swimming trials has arrived for Caitlin Leverenz, and of all people getting in the way it is ancient Amanda Beard, who on Thursday joked that Leverenz is "still just a baby.''

For all of Leverenz's teenage years, the fabulously talented Sahuaro High School senior has followed the conventional route to tonight's 200 breast stroke finals. Up at 5. In the pool at 6. Lunch. Nap. Back to the pool.

She once told a magazine writer that she considered buying a T-shirt that read "I can't" on the front and "I have swim practice" on the back.

It was precisely this all-work, not-much-fun routine that has helped to sculpt Leverenz into one of America's 15 or 20 leading female swimmers.

By comparison, Beard, is a 27-year-old self-described party girl, a regular on the Hollywood gossip circuit who admitted she has a standing invitation at the mansion of Playboy's Hugh Hefner.

On Thursday, the former Arizona Wildcat All-American flashed into the finals of tonight's race with the second-best overall time, 2 minutes 25.43 seconds, which seemed to shock everyone, even her. Beard is so worried about protocol that she wore a swim cap with an advertisement for "Go Daddy," which is a breach of USA Swimming policy.

As if to say, what are they going to do, suspend me? I won't be here long anyway. She indicated that she was even "a little hesitant to come to Omaha."

"For me to swim this well with no training," she said, pausing to let the point sink in, "I think I'll take another three-year hiatus and go spear-fishing."

The 2008 Olympic trials at Qwest Center projected to be a quick goodbye for Beard and a welcoming party for Leverenz. And, indeed, Leverenz has met and exceeded expectations already. She finished fourth in the 200 IM and the 400 IM. Unless you are Katie Hoff or Natalie Coughlin, you do not often make the finals of three Olympic trials events.

Before Beard showed up, rusty but still a gamer, Leverenz figured to move up to third or even second in tonight's finals and catch an August flight to Beijing.

Now it is going to take the race of Leverenz's young life to beat Beard and USC's Rebecca Soni, who thus far has been in a class by herself in the 200 breast. Only the first two finishers will make the Olympic team.

Before Beard left Qwest Center on Thursday, she had this prediction: "I don't think (tonight) will be my last race.''

Meaning: She thinks she will be on that plane to Beijing.

Leverenz is a bubbly, spirited young woman who has impressed everyone from USA Swimming to the assembled group of media all week. No wonder she gets along so well with Beard; both wear their cheery demeanor on their Speedo swimsuits.

"Caitlin is a little stud muffin," said Beard.

Leverenz responded by saying "Amanda has been my idol, since, like, I was 10 years old. And now it's me against her. That's so crazy."

If only it were that simple. Soni and two other experienced swimmers had faster times than Leverenz in Thursday's semifinals: Keri Hehn, 27, and Megan Jendrick, 24, will share the middle lanes next to Soni and Beard tonight. The competition is brutal and beyond.

Leverenz will start in Lane 2 or Lane 7. It is not impossible to do well from the perimeter. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Beard, then an Arizona freshman, started in Lane 8 and won a bronze medal.

"My attitude toward the trials is that I don't really care,'' said Beard. "I have things planned just in case I don't make it. So it would be an added bonus. And I've still got my eight (Olympic) medals.''

Beard revealed that she conserved some energy in the semifinal, hanging by Soni's "toes,'' content to merely make the final group of eight. All of that changes now. Beard said she will implement a different strategy tonight: She will challenge Soni for the lead and work so hard that "you'll see me puking'' afterward.

Leverenz is just a babe in international-level swimming. It's a testament to her training and her will that she is considered a threat to overhaul Beard, Hehn and Jendrick. It would be one of the Cinderella stories of the week.

Beard suggested it will take a 2:24 and change to finish second tonight. Leverenz's career best is 2:25.62. Beard swam a world-record 2:22.44 in 2004. That was long before she hit the party/ modeling/big-money circuit.

After Thursday's semifinals, Leverenz said none of this has soaked in. The week has gone by in a blur. A quick report is that she established her name and has a reputation that will take her to the 2012 Olympic trials as one of America's most prominent female swimmers.

"I've had a lot of fun at my first Olympic trials," she said. "I won't be able to evaluate things until I have time to relax and can look back sometime next week."

Or, even, better: Perhaps she won't have time to look back until the closing ceremony in Beijing.