Seventeen-year-old Aaron Peirsol is riding a wave of adrenaline and confidence heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials in August after winning the 200-meter backstroke at the recent Janet Evans Invitational at the University of Southern California.

Peirsol, who was still 16 at the time, not only beat a tough field, he beat the world’s best, Lenny Krayzelburg. The Russian-born swimmer, now a U.S. citizen, holds the world record in the 200 back and in four other events.

The kid took advantage of the setting. While the national media was ready to pounce on Krayzelburg, most reporters had to take a detour and find Peirsol, just a junior in high school, who had just stunned a world champion.

Peirsol is either too young to realize the magnitude of beating Krayzelburg, 24, or mature enough to not let it go to his head. Two weeks after opening quite a few eyes, Peirsol has put it past him and says his focus is solely on making the U.S. Olympic team.

“I know [Krayzelburg] can swim faster than that,” he said “That wasn’t his race. If he was swimming up to his potential the outcome wouldn’t have been the way it was.”

Krayzelburg complained of stiffness from intensive training before the meet but didn’t want to cheapen Peirsol’s victory, saying he is his toughest competitor right now.

“I tightened up and just couldn’t do anything,” Krayzelburg said. “Obviously I’m a little disappointed. He’s definitely for real. Anyone who goes that fast at 17 is obviously a contender.”

“I know he put that behind him,” Peirsol said. “It’s good for my confidence, but I really shouldn’t let it go to my head. It doesn’t mean as much as people bring it out to mean. It means I’m capable of beating him, but I’m not going to go to the trials thinking I’m going to beat him.”

Regardless, Krayzelburg will be watching his back.

“He’s one of the favorites for a gold in Sydney no question about it.” he said. “He’s my main competitor right now in the world. [He and I] are definitely the favorites.”

Krayzelburg, who had not lost in the backstroke in over two years, was by no means going into the race saving it for the trials. The loss was especially disappointing for the USC alum, who was swimming in his home pool with a large pro-Trojan crowd behind him.

“When you swim at this level you want to come out and swim well every time,” Krayzelburg said. “You don’t look for excuses. My mentality is to always give 100 percent.”

Krayzelburg said he will begin to taper and rest and expects to swim much better at the trials in Indianapolis.

The "King of Backstroke” said Peirsol is a natural.

“He’s got a very natural stroke. He swims very effortless,” Krayzelburg said. “Some people were born to do certain things and Aaron was born to be a swimmer. I think I can say that for myself as well, but some develop earlier than others.”

Peirsol’s time of 1:59:01 was his second fastest swim ever and just his third win in a major meet. Krayzelburg finished in 1:59.34.

“It was a decent time; it was a good swim, I’m definitely happy with it,” Peirsol said.

The tall, blond Southern Californian, who surfs when not in the pool, didn’t come to USC that night with intentions of beating a world-record holder.

“I just came out here to swim,” Peirsol said after the race. “I didn’t come in here with any high expectations. I swam pretty well. I don’t think he swam the way he wanted to. It was a surprise more than anything.”

For Peirsol, after the win it was business as usual and it wasn’t cause for celebration.

“I just went out to dinner, woke up the next morning and swam again.”

Peirsol, who attends Newport Harbor High School in nearby Newport Beach, Calif., said he would keep his training ritual pretty much the same until the trials, with only a minimal taper.

As a member of the Irvine Novas, Peirsol trains five days a week, with two two-hour sessions a day and one session on Saturday. Dry-land training consists of working out with cords to strengthen the back and shoulders.

“Training has gotten more rigorous,” he said “I’m not going to taper as much. I think I can swim just as well without going through a full taper.”

Peirsol said it’s better for him to not taper as much because of his age.

He definitely gives the older guys the respect they deserve, maybe a little too much.

“I think Aaron has looked up to me for the past few years,” Krayzelburg said. “It was weird when he touched the wall; I felt he had this look in his face that said, ‘I’m sorry I beat you.’ You can’t do that. This is sports and that’s what it’s all about. I have no hard feelings, we’re athletes and you’re not supposed to apologize for nothing.”

Said Peirsol: “I look up to these people, I have to, I’m a young kid, and I can’t really say I’m above these people.”

Peirsol said it’s the things like starts and turns that he learns from Krayzelburg and other older swimmers like Brad Bridgewater.

“Just by watching Krayzelburg and Bridgewater and all those guys that have been through it, if I can learn something, anything, I try to take advantage of it and improve.”