+Phelps looking for historic Olympic showing in swimming+
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By Doug Mittler
SportsTicker Contributing Writer
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - Michael Phelps will have his
place in the sun.
The central figure of the Olympic swimming competition - if not
the entire Athens Games - could be Phelps, a 19-year-old from
Baltimore who will set his sights on matching or even topping
one of the greatest feats in sports history, Olympics or
otherwise.
Phelps is given at least a chance of reaching the Holy Grail of
the Games - the seven gold medals won by American swimmer Mark
Spitz at the 1972 Munich Games.
"It's a great opportunity for swimming, it's a great opportunity
for the Olympics and it's a great opportunity to have
something to talk about, watch and focus on," Spitz said.
Phelps will go for history at the outdoor Olympic Aquatic Center
in Athens. Plans to build a roof over the venue had to be
scratched due to construction delays, so the spotlight will come
courtesy of the hot summer sun.
The United States, in an attempt to get used to the conditions,
held its trials outdoors at Long Beach, California. Six world
records were set, raising already high expectations for the
American team.
Phelps will swim five individual events - giving up his spot in
the 200-meter backstroke - and up to three relays in Athens.
There was speculation that U.S. coach Eddie Reese might keep
Phelps off the 400-meter freestyle relay if other qualifiers
swam fast enough in preliminary races, but various reports
indicate he has changed his mind.
That would give Phelps a chance at eight medals, which would
match the all-time medal count for one Olympics held by Soviet
gymnast Alexander Dityatin in 1980.
Phelps' quest will be one of the most chronicled events of the
Olympics by TV partner NBC, which is looking for a wholesome
story free of controversy. Track and field also will be a
showcase, but the BALCO saga already has put a black mark on the
competition.
NBC has been actively promoting Phelps in the weeks leading up
to the games, a decision made easier by his performance at last
year's World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, where he won six
medals - including four gold - and set five world records.
The five individual events for Phelps will be the 100 butterfly,
200 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 400 IM.
"My goal is still the same as it has been," Phelps said.
"Hopefully I can walk out of Athens with one gold medal."
Walking away with a win in the 200 freestyle will be toughest of
all. Phelps will battle Ian Thorpe of Australia, the world
record-holder in the event who won six titles at the 2001 World
Championships.
Thorpe, who also will battle Phelps in the relays, will seek
amends for his 200 freestyle loss to Pieter van den Hoogenband
of Holland at the Sydney Games. Van den Hoogenband, who won the
100 freestyle as well at Sydney, is back in an attempt to
defend both titles.
Thorpe already has done his best to stir up controversy, telling
an Australian television station last month that the water
isn't always clean.
"It would be naive to think everyone's going to be clean at the
Olympic Games," Thorpe said. "Of course I've swum against doped
athletes."
The comments drew quick criticism from swimming's governing body
and also put added pressure on Thorpe, who competes in a
country where swimming is king, making him a national icon.
Thorpe also has to justify his place in the 400 freestyle even
though he is the world record holder and Olympic champ in the
event. He slipped and fell into the pool during the trials and
was disqualified. Teammate Craig Stevens later stepped aside,
giving Thorpe the spot.
The 100 butterfly also will be a major test for Phelps. Ian
Crocker, the first Olympic swimmer from Maine, set world records
in defeating Phelps at the World Championships and the trials.
Phelps may have caught a break literally in the 400 medley.
Laszlo Cseh of Hungary, who finished second to Phelps in Spain,
recently had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot but
still plans to compete. Cseh has to heal fast because the event
takes place on August 14, the first day of the competition.
The Americans led all nations with 14 gold and 33 overall
swimming medals at the 2000 Games. They will need more than just
Phelps to reach that total.
Gary Hall Jr., who has eight Olympic medals, will compete in his
third Summer Games and be part of the 50 freestyle and 400
relay.
Amanda Beard and Jenny Thompson are two of the five returning
members of the 2000 women's squad that performed well at Sydney.
Beard, who won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games at age
14, is considered a medal candidate in the 100 and 200
breaststroke and two relays. Thompson, 31, will compete in her
fourth Olympics and has won 10 medals, but no gold. Scheduled
to graduate from medical school next year, she will try again
after qualifying in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
Natalie Coughlin will compete for up to five medals and will be
a key figure on three relay teams. The Californian will compete
in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, where she owns the
world record.
Coughlin decided to several other individual events. The victim
of bad luck, she suffered a shoulder injury prior to the 2000
trials and a fever limited her to two relay medals at last
year's World Championships.
Maritza Correia qualified in the 100 freestyle and is the first
black woman to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team.
Australia will send a strong women's contingent led by 100
freestyle record-holder Libby Lenton and veteran Petria Thomas,
who missed the 2003 season after shoulder surgery but is a
favorite in the 100 butterfly.
One of the tightly contested women's events will be the 200
breaststroke between Aussie Leisel Jones and Beard. Jones had
the world record for three days last month before Beard broke it
at the U.S. trials.
The 200 and 400 IMs could again be the domain of Yana Klochkova
of the Ukraine, the world and defending Olympic champ in both
events.
Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands won three golds at Sydney and
will be among the favorites for the 50 and 100 freestyle.
Lenton will challenge in the 100 after breaking de Bruijn's
world record at the Australian trials.
Swimming begins on the opening weekend of the games and will
award 32 gold medals 26 individual events and six relays.
st 08-09-04 12:41 et
