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Log inPhelps' last major obstacles are a couple of mates
Phelps' last major obstacles are a couple of mates
by Outspoken on Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:57 pm
Phelps' last major obstacles are a couple of mates
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP National Writer
BEIJING - So, it's come down to this for Michael Phelps: The only guys likely to stop him from taking down the ultimate Olympic record are wearing red, white and blue. Ryan Lochte was gunning for Phelps in the 200-meter individual medley.
Ian Crocker was eager to take him down in the 100 fly. Neither has an Olympic gold medal of his own — an omission they'd sure like to fix before they leave Beijing, even it means costing Phelps his historic No. 8.
"Michael has his goals and I have mine," Crocker said. "I don't think anyone should get in the way of what I want. I'm not going to feel bad if I go out and race my heart out and end up winning."
If he's going to beat Phelps, he'd sure better pick up the pace. For the preliminaries Thursday night, Crocker inexplicably came out wearing a jammer — a suit that goes only from the waist to just above the knees — and put up the 13th-fastest time, coming perilously close to missing out on the semifinals.
"He wanted to try it," said his coach, Eddie Reese. "It's a physical and psychological disadvantage."
Not even his coach sounded very convincing when asked if Crocker has a chance to derail history.
"I hope so," Reese said, "but Michael's a human rocket at the moment."
Lochte gets the first crack at Phelps in the 200 IM final, which requires one lap with each of the four strokes. Both easily advanced out of the semifinals, setting up a side-by-side rematch Friday morning of their duel in the 400 IM.
Phelps won that race by crushing his own world record, while Lochte struggled home with the bronze. But the laid-back Floridian was apparently bothered by some sort of stomach problem early in the week; he insists he's feeling fine now.
Still, Lochte faced a huge challenge. Not only does he have to race the world's greatest swimmer, he'll be doing it just 29 minutes after he faces another American juggernaut in the 200 backstroke final.
Aaron Peirsol, the defending Olympic champion, beat Lochte in the U.S. trials and shares the world record with him.
"I just get ready for one race," said Lochte, who has bonded with Phelps over their shared passion of hip-hop music. "The most important thing is being able to separate (the two races) and just most on. I've trained for it. I'm used to it. The biggest part for me is the psychological part."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080814/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_swm_swimming;_ylt=Ag2sroyp2wZqjBZ2XhBzAFus0NUE
(AP Photo/Greg Baker)
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP National Writer
BEIJING - So, it's come down to this for Michael Phelps: The only guys likely to stop him from taking down the ultimate Olympic record are wearing red, white and blue. Ryan Lochte was gunning for Phelps in the 200-meter individual medley.
Ian Crocker was eager to take him down in the 100 fly. Neither has an Olympic gold medal of his own — an omission they'd sure like to fix before they leave Beijing, even it means costing Phelps his historic No. 8.
"Michael has his goals and I have mine," Crocker said. "I don't think anyone should get in the way of what I want. I'm not going to feel bad if I go out and race my heart out and end up winning."
If he's going to beat Phelps, he'd sure better pick up the pace. For the preliminaries Thursday night, Crocker inexplicably came out wearing a jammer — a suit that goes only from the waist to just above the knees — and put up the 13th-fastest time, coming perilously close to missing out on the semifinals.
"He wanted to try it," said his coach, Eddie Reese. "It's a physical and psychological disadvantage."
Not even his coach sounded very convincing when asked if Crocker has a chance to derail history.
"I hope so," Reese said, "but Michael's a human rocket at the moment."
Lochte gets the first crack at Phelps in the 200 IM final, which requires one lap with each of the four strokes. Both easily advanced out of the semifinals, setting up a side-by-side rematch Friday morning of their duel in the 400 IM.
Phelps won that race by crushing his own world record, while Lochte struggled home with the bronze. But the laid-back Floridian was apparently bothered by some sort of stomach problem early in the week; he insists he's feeling fine now.
Still, Lochte faced a huge challenge. Not only does he have to race the world's greatest swimmer, he'll be doing it just 29 minutes after he faces another American juggernaut in the 200 backstroke final.
Aaron Peirsol, the defending Olympic champion, beat Lochte in the U.S. trials and shares the world record with him.
"I just get ready for one race," said Lochte, who has bonded with Phelps over their shared passion of hip-hop music. "The most important thing is being able to separate (the two races) and just most on. I've trained for it. I'm used to it. The biggest part for me is the psychological part."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080814/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_swm_swimming;_ylt=Ag2sroyp2wZqjBZ2XhBzAFus0NUE
(AP Photo/Greg Baker)
"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."
Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
