Phelps won't touch breast
From Tom Wald in Montreal, Ca
nada
20jul05
BREASTSTROKE is far from the most glamorous discipline in swimming, but it became a lot more attractive today after US superfish Michael Phelps said it is the one discipline he won't contest at the next Olympics.
Phelps's coach Bob Bowman said the six-time Olympic gold medallist wasn't prepared to compete in any breaststroke events at the 2008 Beijing Games.
"Breaststrokers of the world are safe, other than that everything is fair game," Bowman said.
The Baltimore Bullet is already considered at the age of 20 to be the best all-round swimmer in history, following his stunning eight-medal haul at last year's Athens Games.
Phelps has won Olympic medals in freestyle, butterfly and in individual medleys, and was last year ranked No.2 in the world in the 200m backstroke.
He dropped the backstroke before Athens to ease his heavy load and has this year ditched two gold medal events from Greece, the 200m butterfly and 400m IM for the world championships in Montreal.
Phelps, who is set to swim up to eight events in Canada, has decided instead to add the 100m and 400m freestyle to his program.
He is a medal contender in the former and gold medal threat in the latter.
"I'm going to switch gears and see what happens. I think it will make things interesting, keep me on my toes," Phelps said.
"I think this is more of a learning year than anything else. Everything is really baby steps until Beijing. Obviously, the big picture is three years from now."
His battles with Australian team captain Grant Hackett in the 200m and 400m freestyle next week will be two of the highlights of the eight-day meet.
"I like to race, I like to compete," Phelps said.
"The 400 is going to be a tough race. Hackett has been very, very dominant, very strong. It's my job to step up and try to race him. I'll try to go out after it and see what happens."
US men's swimming head coach Dave Salo said Phelps was very competitive.
"He wants the race. It would be real easy for him to take on the events he's expected to win. He's not afraid to lose. And that's a tribute to a champion."
Win or lose Phelps is having fun.
"I never thought by the age of 20 I'd have eight Olympic medals and would be leading a dream come true, being a professional athlete doing something I love," Phelps said.
"It's all fun. I'm having a blast doing it; I couldn't ask for anything more." [b]
From Tom Wald in Montreal, Ca
nada
20jul05
BREASTSTROKE is far from the most glamorous discipline in swimming, but it became a lot more attractive today after US superfish Michael Phelps said it is the one discipline he won't contest at the next Olympics.
Phelps's coach Bob Bowman said the six-time Olympic gold medallist wasn't prepared to compete in any breaststroke events at the 2008 Beijing Games.
"Breaststrokers of the world are safe, other than that everything is fair game," Bowman said.
The Baltimore Bullet is already considered at the age of 20 to be the best all-round swimmer in history, following his stunning eight-medal haul at last year's Athens Games.
Phelps has won Olympic medals in freestyle, butterfly and in individual medleys, and was last year ranked No.2 in the world in the 200m backstroke.
He dropped the backstroke before Athens to ease his heavy load and has this year ditched two gold medal events from Greece, the 200m butterfly and 400m IM for the world championships in Montreal.
Phelps, who is set to swim up to eight events in Canada, has decided instead to add the 100m and 400m freestyle to his program.
He is a medal contender in the former and gold medal threat in the latter.
"I'm going to switch gears and see what happens. I think it will make things interesting, keep me on my toes," Phelps said.
"I think this is more of a learning year than anything else. Everything is really baby steps until Beijing. Obviously, the big picture is three years from now."
His battles with Australian team captain Grant Hackett in the 200m and 400m freestyle next week will be two of the highlights of the eight-day meet.
"I like to race, I like to compete," Phelps said.
"The 400 is going to be a tough race. Hackett has been very, very dominant, very strong. It's my job to step up and try to race him. I'll try to go out after it and see what happens."
US men's swimming head coach Dave Salo said Phelps was very competitive.
"He wants the race. It would be real easy for him to take on the events he's expected to win. He's not afraid to lose. And that's a tribute to a champion."
Win or lose Phelps is having fun.
"I never thought by the age of 20 I'd have eight Olympic medals and would be leading a dream come true, being a professional athlete doing something I love," Phelps said.
"It's all fun. I'm having a blast doing it; I couldn't ask for anything more." [b]