What can the eight-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps do for Encore?
Swimming machine Michael Phelps has done America proud once again. The ace swimmer has won two titles at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. After putting in the long hours for the butterfly leg, Michael was able to win the 100 metre butterfly strokes with a lot of ease. He became one of the three swimmers who won more than one individual event in the first three days of the four day championships.
Only on Saturday, Michael Phelps decided not to take place in the 200 metre individual medley so that he could save a breath for his butterfly stroke in the 400 metre medley relay. In Michael’s absence, his all-time competitor Ryan Lochte won the event, 0.30 seconds inside his own world record in the same race. Lochte claimed that if Phelps competed with him in the race, he would have definitely cut down on this time with which Ryan finished the race. Lochte further commented that he was not that pleased with the fact that Michael withdrew from the event as Lochte enjoyed racing with the talented athlete.
Lochte held Phelps back in the 200 metre individual medley at the national championships that took place this month. Michael’s Coach Bob Bowman informed the media that although Phelps was upset over the fact that he might have disappointed his fans by losing to Lochte, he did not disappoint his fellow team members by not being a part of the relay.
After winning the 100 metre butterfly on Friday, Phelps told his coach Bowman that he was not very sure if he has enough energy left to take part in the 200 metre individual medley, the preliminary and final events, and a relay leg. The past one week was intense for Phelps since he had been away from practise in the winter. The coach agreed with Phelps’ energy concerns. Meanwhile, he also appreciated Michael’s brilliant performance in the 100 metre butterfly meet.
Unluckily for Michael Phelps, he could only make it to the top two American swimmers at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in the 400 metre individual medley. He was held off by Ryan Lochte and Tyler Clary who finished 6 and 5 seconds faster than Phelps’ time of 4 minutes and 15.38 seconds respectively.
The 8-time Olympic champion should not be put down by just one bad swim because he has to his credit the fastest time in the world this year in the 100 metre freestyle. Moreover, he tops the world rankings in the 100 metre and 200 metre butterfly. Phelps only comes below Ryan Lochte in the 200 metre individual medley. If it was some other swimmer than Michael Phelps, these credentials would make it a career year for him or her.
Katie Hoff, who trained with Michael Phelps in Baltimore before she shifted to Southern California’s Fullerton Area Swim, said that Phelps should not expect to break a world record in every meet that he swims. Hoff further said that he has won everything that a swimmer could ask for, and after that, one is not left with any motivation to push him up.
After staying away from the pool during the winter and fall, Phelps thought that he could still make it to the top two in the 400 metre individual medley on the basis of his skills and experience. But he found the event particularly arduous.
Phelps has had one of the most impossible victories in the history of swimming. In the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing, he took up the program that seemed almost impossible in theory. However, with his conceit and Bowman’s hard work, the swimmer was able to win eight gold medals at the Olympics. Nobody else would have been able to do it.
The consequences of this victory were not very beneficial. In this 400 metre individual medley, Phelps became over confident and chose not to practise. Despite the losses, Phelps should be pleased with the fact that he is still the number 1 swimmer in 2010.
Tags: