USA: OLYMPICS - Swimming champion Michael Phelps hopes he has not left his training push too late for the London 2012 Olympics
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330740
USA: OLYMPICS - Swimming champion Michael Phelps hopes he has not left his training push too late for the London 2012 Olympics
- Title: USA: OLYMPICS - Swimming champion Michael Phelps hopes he has not left his training push too late for the London 2012 Olympics
- Date: 15th May 2012
- Summary: DALLAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (MAY 13, 2012) (REUTERS) OLYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPION MICHAEL PHELPS AND COACH BOB BOWMAN WALKING ONSTAGE WIDE OF PHELPS AND BOWMAN ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPION MICHAEL PHELPS SAYING: "I think the biggest thing right now is just being able to make steps in the right direction. You know, over the last three years my training has not gone too well or my performances haven't been too great. But it's an exciting time and it's going to be a fun summer. I've been able to get an excitement back in the water. You know we have a great training group. We are heading to Colorado tomorrow and we always seem to be able to put in some good work out there and hopefully we can cap off on some little, small things we've been working on and see them making big differences once we get to trials." WIDE OF PHELPS AND BOWMAN ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPION MICHAEL PHELPS SAYING: "It wasn't fun. Obviously, I put myself in that spot, put myself in the spot of not swimming the times that I want. He (Lochte) was just rolling over me, just like . . . It wasn't fun to be on that end. It was something that was very motivating for me. Last year I think was the time I kind of woke up a little more than I had in the past. I guess in 2010 I was kind of like 'whatever', but last year I was like, 'this is so frustrating.' It's like it wasn't a fun feeling anymore - it never was a fun feeling. It actually means something. It super-frustrated me.' I'm doing everything I can to try and fight back and hopefully I didn't all too far behind to where I can't make up some of the ground that Ryan's pulled off." WIDE OF PHELPS AND BOWMAN ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPION MICHAEL PHELPS SAYING: "You know, if I can do that and I can have fun, then that's all that really matters to me. Once I hang my suit up I want to be able to look back and say I've done everything I can in my career and whether, you know, that's having 50 gold medals or having 16 total medals, if I can say I've done everything I've wanted, I think that's really all that matters." WIDE OF PHELPS AND BOWMAN ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPION MICHAEL PHELPS SAYING: "Sure, this is, like I said, this is my 20th year in the sport. So you know, I've known swimming and that's it. One of the biggest things is I said I don't want to swim past the age of 30. I mean I told Bob that years ago. That's just something that I didn't want to do. I didn't want to swim past the age of 30. And I knew if I would continue past this year's Olympics that I'd come back in 2016 and be 31. So I am looking forward to being on the other side of the fence." PHELPS AND BOWMAN ON STAGE LEAVING STAGE
- Embargoed: 30th May 2012 13:00
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- Topics: People,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA1BFLYXTCNAOB8T6B9OWKSNGXE
- Story Text: Michael Phelps said on Sunday (May 13) he hoped he had not left his push for the London Olympics too late as he tries to improve his times and form with the U.S. Olympic trials coming next month.
"I think the biggest thing right now is just being able to make steps in the right direction," 14-time gold medalist Phelps told reporters at the U.S. Olympic Committee media summit in Dallas, Texas. "I've been able to get an excitement back in the water."
In the four years since he won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, Phelps has failed to reach those same dizzy heights.
He suffered defeats at the each of the past two world championships and just this weekend, at the Charlotte Grand Prix, one of the final lead-up events before next month's U.S. Olympic trials, he was beaten in both the 200 meters freestyle and the 200m butterfly.
Phelps and long-time coach Bob Bowman hope an extended training session at altitude in Colorado will accelerate his return to form.
"We are heading to Colorado tomorrow and we always seem to be able to put in some good work out there and hopefully we can cap off on some little, small things we've been working on and see them making big differences once we get to trials," said Phelps.
Phelps admitted he tuned out from swimming for a couple of years following his record haul in the Chinese capital. As he drifted away from the pool, his fellow-American Ryan Lochte established himself as the dominant swimmer in the world.
"I put myself in that spot, put myself in the spot of not swimming the times that I want," Phelps said. "He (Lochte) was rolling over me. It wasn't fun to be on that end.
"Last year I think was the time I kind of woke up a little more than I had in the past. I guess in 2010 I was kind of like 'whatever', but last year I was like, 'this is so frustrating,'" he explained.
"It super-frustrated me.' I'm doing everything I can to try and fight back and hopefully I didn't all too far behind to where I can't make up some of the ground that Ryan's pulled off."
With 16 total Olympic medals in his pocket, Phelps confirmed that London would be his last games. The soon to be 27-year-old (Phelps' birthday is June 30) said did not want to compete past the age of 30.
"This is my 20th year in the sport. So you know, I've known swimming and that's it. One of the biggest things is I said I don't want to swim past the age of 30. I mean I told Bob that years ago. That's just something that I didn't want to do," he said.
"Once I hang my suit up I want to be able to look back and say I've done everything I can in my career and whether, you know, that's having 50 gold medals or having 16 total medals, if I can say I've done everything I've wanted, I think that's really all that matters."
Phelps and Bowman have already determined what disciplines the reigning Olympic champ will race at the U.S. trials at the end of June, but won't inform the public until the meet. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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