Until the day comes, who can really say but the man himself?
Michael Phelps, as we have all observed with giddy and childish excitement, is having the meet of his life. His 1:52.94 200 Butterly was the best he’s ever swam that race, according to the man himself (even better than when he broke the world record). He’s put it all out there, also going 50.45 in the 100 fly (narrowly beating the time thrown down by a fired up Chad Le Clos) and is slated to put up another staggering performance tonight in the 200 IM.
Only one question remains: is he really swimming the 200 breastroke on the last day of competition at the Phillips66 National Champs? When we asked him, he was coy as usual. However, he did poke at a few things.
1. He’s excited to race Reece Whitley, and young up-and-coming 6’8″ breastroke star.
2. His best time may very well have been swam before Reece was born.
3. He will probably swim prelims.
I say Phelps is going to do it, at least in the morning. He’s having a sensational meet, why stop now? This year he has been all about challenging himself to go above and beyond, just as he did in his preparation for Beijing, and this falls right in line. Swimming the 400 free in the prelims of the Mesa Arena Pro Swim Series stop (where he tied Katie Ledecky), adding the 200 butterfly back into his repertoire, and now swimming the 200 breast at his taper meet a year out of the olympics. It can’t hurt, he’s got nothing to lose, and who knows, maybe he will once again put up a time that will have jaws dropping faster than… well, his race.
Actually looking forward to this UPCOMING DYNAMO swim the 200 breast, Of course that is WHitley. Phelps may surprise us all though with this one too.
Actually looking forward to watching this UPCOMING DYNAMO swim the 200 breast. That is Whitley of course. Phelps may surprise us all with this event.
He wants to do a best time- he’ll do it in the 200 breaststroke.
I’m scared for the 200 im. Sure he has struggled this year with back, but so has he in fly, then… BAM. Fastest 100 and 200 fly since 2009. 2007 for 200 fly and 2005 for 100 fly if you exclude the tech suit era. I see:
Fly: 24.45
Back: 29.05(53.50)
Breast: 32.42(1:25.92)
Free: 28.00
1:53.92WR, optimistic but more possible than london 2012.
Fly leg is very possible because of what we’ve seen the past few days.
Back is better then we’ve seen, but not the greatest ever.
He’s confident about his breaststroke as we’ve seen by the fact he’s swimming it, I see I him surprising us all here.
Free… Read more »
2:15.18
Can’t help but to think that with swimming this event maybe he’s trying to bring back his 400 IM training. After all I wouldnt put 4:08 past him
No.
We want a HAPPY MP eager to swim and have fun while putting up killer times, not an ANGRY MP eager to get out of the water and retire.
Doubt it, I think he’d be swimming it here if he badly wanted to, but most likely he doesn’t want to, since he basically retired from the 400IM after Beijing (and should’ve swam the 200fr over it in London). That event takes so much out of you, I think he’s smart to keep his events to 100 and 200m.
Plus, that 4:03.8 is a fairly safe WR. Maybe Hagino can get there eventually, but nobody is breaking it in Rio.
I’d be much, MUCH more interested in seeing him scratch the 200 breast and swim a time trial 200 free
Agree with you 100%.
It will be fun.
But with the 200 IM of Rio in mind, the stroke MP needs to work the most in the next months is backstroke. In all his 200 IM races since he’s back in the water, I’ve seen him struggle a lot with that stroke. It will be very interesting to see tonight if it has improved.
I think breaststroke needs the mot improvement and it is the most important stroke in the IM. Ironic I know, but the fact is more breaststroke is swam than anything other stroke.
I think that backstroke is most important in the 200IM, in such a short race, you have to be able to move on the 2nd 50. 400IM I’d say it’s breastroke though, as we say with Tyler Clary today, splitting an abysmal 1:14 compared to the 1:08-1:11s by the other top finalists.