Michael Phelps pumped up for Rio

American satisfied with results in nationals, despite finishing fifth on final day.

SAN ANTONIO: Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps completed an epic effort at the US national championships and asserted his claim that he has the speed and skill to star at the 2016 Olympics.

Phelps only finished fifth in Monday’s 200m breaststroke final in 2mins, 11.30 secs, well off winner Craig Benson’s winning time of 2mins, 9.68secs.

But he seldom swims at the nationals and entered the event more as a challenge and a training exercise rather than with a victory in mind, having won three events in the prior three days and beaten the winning time at the world championships in Russia in each.

“I’m in a great place, a place where I haven’t been in a long time, a place where I have confidence,” said Phelps. “I’ve seen the work I’ve been doing has worked. I’m going into an Olympic year having something to build on and that hasn’t happened in a while, probably since 2007. I’m excited to get back into it.”

Phelps was supposed to be competing at the worlds but a drink driving incident led to him being dropped from the US team, instead having to be content with vying for national titles as the US meet being staged at the same time as the worlds.

Phelps achieved his self-imposed goal in the 200 breaststroke by breaking his former North Baltimore Aquatic Club record of 2mins, 12.1secs.

“That’s what I wanted to beat,” he added. “I’ll take a 2mins, 11.3secs any day of the week. I’m happy with the results.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th,  2015.

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