Phelps shows class from young days

By A.C. De Silva

Olympics: Phelps the star swimmer at the London Olympics began swimming at the age of seven. Partly because of the influence of his sisters and partly to provide him with an outlet for his energy he took to sport. When Phelps was in the sixth grade, he was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. (ADHD).

By the age of 10, he held a national record for his age group, and Phelps began to train at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman. More age group records followed, and Phelps rapid improvement culminated in his qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympics at the age of 15 and becoming the youngest male to make a U.S. Olympic swim team in 68 years.

While he did not win a medal, he did make the finals and finished fifth in the 200-metre butterfly.

Phelps on way up

At the World Championship Trials for the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, on March 30, Phelps broke the world record in the 200-metre butterfly to become, at 15 years and 9 months, the youngest man ever to set a swimming world record, breaking the record previously held by Ian Thorpe when he lowered the 400-metre freestyle world record at 16 years, 10 months.

At the World Championships in Fukuoka, Phelps broke his own world record in the 200-metre butterfly en route to becoming a world champion for the first time.

At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won four gold medals, two silver medals, and broke five world records. Phelps broke his first world record on July 22 in the semi finals for the 200-metre butterfly. Phelps swam a 1 min 53.93 to break his own world record of 1 min 54.58 seconds set in 2001 and became the first man to swim under 1 min 54.00 seconds.

In the final of the 200-metre butterfly, on July 23, Phelps easily won the gold medal, but did not come close to his world record with a time of 1 min 54.35 seconds (an American record) but the Americans could not match the depth of the Australians and ultimately finished second in 7 mins 10.26 to 7 mins 08.58. At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won a total of 6 medals, 5 golds and 1 Silver. In the first event, the 4x100 metre freestyle relay, Phelps swam the lead-off leg in 47.78, well off his 47.51 performance in Beijing, but the American team was able to edge out Russia and France for the gold.

For his second race, the 200 metres freestyle, Phelps lost his first race in four years to Germany’s Paul Biederman. Phelps touched second in 1 min 43.22, but Biederman smashed Phelps’ record of 1 min 42.96 set in Beijing a year ago with a time of 1 min 42.00. Phelps’ took the silver graciously, but coach Bowman threatened to withdraw Phelps from international competition because Bowman claimed Biederman had an unfair advantage because he was wearing a full polyurethane swim suit, specifically an Arena X-Glide. Bowman said, “It took me five years to get Michael from 1 min 46 to 1 min 42 and this guy has done it in 11 months. That’s an amazing training performance. I’d like to know how to do that.”

Phelps improves on world record

Phelps rebounded from this loss and for his third race, the 200-metre butterfly, Phelps won the gold and broke his own world record of 1 min 52.03 seconds with a time of 1 min 51.51 seconds. For his fourth race, the 4x200 metre freestyle relay, Phelps swam the lead-off leg in 1 min 33.49 as the team went on win the gold medal and break the world record set the previous year.

After his loss in the 200 metres freestyle, many thought that Phelps was vulnerable coming into the final for the final of the 100 metres butterfly. His closet competitor, Milorad Cavic, who wore an Arena X-Glide (the same suit Biederman beat Phelps with), thought people were making excuses for Phelps because he was wearing an LZR Racer. Cavic even offered to buy Phelps a new suit. For his fifth race, the 100-metre butterfly, Phelps won the gold and became the first man to complete it in under 50 seconds, beating Cavic in 49.82 seconds to 49.95. The victory prompted a fierce celebration from Phelps, who sat on the lane rope and pumped his chest and swimsuit.

For his final event, the 4x100 metres relay, Phelps won his fifth gold medal. Phelps, along with teammates Aaron Peirsol, Eric Shanteau and David Walters, set a new world record in the event with time of 3 minutes 27.28 seconds.

2010 National Championships

At the 2010 National Championships, Phelps swam in five individual events. In the 200 metres freestyle, Phelps won ahead of Ryan Lochte in a time of 1 min 45.61. About an hour later, Phelps returned to the pool to win the 200 metres butterfly. But Phelps was not happy with his performance and called it the “Worst” 200 metres butterfly his life. In the 100 metres butterfly, Phelps won his 50th national title in 50.65 seconds.

After the race, Phelps said he was “fairly Pleased” with the result. In the 200 metres Individual Medley, Phelps finished second to Lochte in 1 min 55.94 seconds to Lochte’s I min 54.84 seconds. It was the first time Lochte had beaten Phelps in a major national meet. In the 100 metres backstroke, Phelps finished in 4th place in 1 min, 56.98 seconds.

2011 World Championship Phelps’ performances:

Gold in 100 metres butterfly in 50.71 secs,
Gold in 200 metres butterfly in 1 min 53.34 secs.
Gold in 4x200 metres Freestyle relay in 7 mins 02.67 secs.
Gold in 4x100 metres Medley Relay in 3 mins 32.06 secs.

Silver in 200 metres freestyle in 1 min 44.79 secs.
Silver in 200 metres individual Medley in 1 min 54.16 secs.

Bronze in 4x100 metres freestyle relay in 3 mins 11.96 secs.