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Phelps stronger, more relaxed
23/04/2008 12:21 - (SA)
Chicago - Michael Phelps is stronger and more relaxed than before the 2004 Olympics as the American swim star prepares for another bid to win a record eight gold medals in four months at the Beijing Olympics.
"Everything I've been through the past four years will help me prepare better for the Olympics, for what's going to happen," Phelps said on Monday.
"I'm more relaxed than I was in 2004 heading into the Olympics. Before I was a deer in the headlights. I had never gotten that much attention. That was a learning experience."
Phelps won six golds and eight medals overall at the Athens Olympics, failing to match the record seven golds won by Mark Spitz, but followed the effort with seven golds and four world records at last year's world championships in Australia.
"I don't think anything is impossible. I set very high goals and I work very hard to get there," Phelps said. "The only way you limit yourself is put a bar on yourself. If you think about doing the unthinkable you have a good chance of doing that, if you plan right, if you work hard."
So can Phelps surpass Spitz at Beijing and claim a million-dollar bonus by swimwear maker Speedo?
"You never know what can happen," Phelps said. "The only person I can worry about is myself. If I go in there and swim a best time and get beat, that's all I can do. If it happens, it happens."
Guided by Bob Bowman, his coach for 11 years, Phelps has been able to build more strength and improve his breaststroke, considered his trouble spot from his Athens bid for immortality.
"The two areas when Michael has improved the most are his physical strength, which is the result of a greater physical training programme since Athens that gives him another element to go with his stamina and speed - and the other area he has improved is his breaststroke.
"It has gone from being a weak point to a strength of his. I'm very pleased with how that has progressed."
Phelps sidestepped the political issues of China's crackdown on Tibet and human rights issues as well as links to the genocide in Darfur, mentioning only sport and Olympic joy when asked about the issues.
"All the athletes are very aware of what's going on," Phelps said. "I'm beginning to understand a little more about all the world's events. The Olympics is always a time where things get talked about more and more.
"Being able to go to an Olympic Games and experience that, for me, being an Olympian, it was always a dream of mine to represent my country. That's what this year is really about. Being able to go over there and race in China is something I'm looking forward to this year."
Phelps was excited to be at Beijing's ceremonies one year before the start of the Games.
"I've taken a few trips to Beijing. I've seen the excitement on people's faces," he said. "I was at the one-year event. It sent chills through my body, seeing everybody in the streets, so excited to have the Olympics in their home country.
"What a positive event the Olympic Games is. Seeing everyone come together as one, no matter where you're from, it's always positive. Everyone is happy to be there, to be together, to be competing at a level like that."
Bowman said Phelps knows what events he will swim in June's Olympic trials but will not reveal them publicly. He also said the morning finals programme in China had no impact on those choices.
With a host of new world records, aided by a new Speedo swim suit, Phelps said there was no reason to suspect doping.
"I like a clean sport," Phelps said. "I get tested all the time. The only person I can worry about is myself. I know I'm clean. That's all that matters."
The new suit claims to provide a two percent boost in speeds. "The suit has allowed swimmers to drop some time. It is the difference between a hundredth and a tenth," Phelps said.
"There's definitely some help the suit gives. It's definitely an honor to wear the fastest suit known to mankind."
Phelps sees no unfair edge because every swimmer who could compete at Beijing can have access to the suit.
"It's available for anybody and everybody that wants to wear it," he said. Any single person in the world can wear that suit if they choose too."
- AFP
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