Michael Phelps May Be Ready to Race Very Soon

Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all-time,  may be ready to race very soon according to a report released Tuesday by USA Today.

Bob Bowman“He’s definitely got himself in pretty good shape physically,” Phelps’ longtime coach Bob Bowman told USA TODAY Sports.

Phelps is back in the pool about 5 days per week at NBAC, according to Bowman.  With North Baltimore’s present crew of elites, you know he’s getting great work done, but Bowman cautions that Phelps’ return to his competition, the first meet, will be to test his speed.

As we all know, Phelps hasn’t raced since the 2012 London Olympic Games, however, SwimSwam reported that he had returned to USADA’s drug testing pool last year. As of this month Phelps has been officially eligibility to compete.

“I think he feels pretty good about where he is,” Bowman told USA Today. “We’ll just kind of look around at some upcoming meets and maybe let him swim an event or two and see how it goes.”

Chatter behind-the-scenes has been that Phelps will race at the Mesa Grand Prix in April, but that cannot be confirmed, and Coach Bowman will surely keep that information quiet until he deems it ok to release.

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Carolynn Dixon
7 years ago

You are the one and only I watch, I never have the t.v or news radio on, I’m an out side girl, I’m having my second back surgery in a week and said to my mom how boring life will be, then she mentioned you, my eyes lite up, I thought he retired I said, the man has a strong wife followed by a beautiful baby, he didn’t retire he just started, recovery will be a little easier, sorry Mike, it takes one heck of a women to complete a man, tell her thanks

Swimming GOD
9 years ago

Will Michael Andrew/Andrew Seliskar challenge Phelps’ record from ’08?

Jenkei
9 years ago

But the real question is: Will he Lezak it?

10 years ago

^^typo. True competitive spirit is as hard cocroaches to kill

aswimfan
Reply to  Jimmy Shea
10 years ago

And Phelps is arguably the most competitive person on earth.
You can argue that there were bigger talents, swimming wise, but no other swimmer ever is more competitive than Phelps.

10 years ago

True compet

L
10 years ago

…sure he did half ass his way to 2012 I’m sure even he won’t deny that he barely trained in 2010. But he still walked away with the best performance of the Olympics in any sport lol The man has unbelievable talent

10 years ago

Rowdy Gaines will say “I told you so” but i think Michael knew he would be back. NBC i am sure is delighted too. Since we all know he loves a challenge i think he will swim the 1500 free and the 200 breast, maybe the open water. Just kidding ! Coach Bowman knows Phelps better than anyone else, except his mom so he will make sure he does quality more than quantity.
I think he will definitely swim the 100 fly (where no one can still break 51) and the 100 free (for the relay). I doubt he will swim either IMs, I don’t think he wants to swim endless laps of backstroke and breaststroke. He might swim… Read more »

sven
Reply to  Thanos Mihas
10 years ago

I think he could train for the 200 IM without grinding out too much back and breast.

My prediction is 100 fly and 200 IM for individuals, and then 100 free and 200 free for the relay spots. I think he’ll have one good 200 fly in him, but I don’t think he can coast through prelims and semis the way he used to, so he’ll be more tired with less of an ability to recover, so I think they’ll opt out of the 200 fly. So I say there’s a shot at five more medals for Phelps. The only question I have is how many of them will be gold? I say the 800 relay and medley relay will… Read more »

gosharks
10 years ago

In 2003, when Phelps broke Josh Davis’s AR in the 200 free, he was only the 2nd American to break 1:47. At that point, he began to smash the (domestic) door WIDE open in the 200 freestyle, and to date, only 2 swimmers have really followed him through it: Lochte and Dwyer.

[Just 6 Americans have broken 1:46 — Berens, Walters, and Vanderkaay swam in a LZR or better].

Yes, there are great relay swimmers, but the 200 free is weak. My opinion is that Lochte will not improve his 1:44.44 PB from 2011. I’m not saying that Phelps will choose to swim the 200 free individually, but I do think that he identified glaring relay weaknesses at Worlds… Read more »

bobo gigi
Reply to  gosharks
10 years ago

MP will not swim again the 200 free in individual in a world meet.
He’s too old for that. 🙂
And he sees every day in Baltimore a French guy who will swim 1.42 in Rio.

luigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

My crazy prediction is that Agnel will peak in 2015, not 2016.
It will be for him what 2007 was for Phelps.
I am just making wild guesses. I am not an expert, just a fan 🙂

john26
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

Why not 1:41 😉

Bossanova
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

Agreed, Bobo. I wonder how getting beaten on every single freestyle set Bob gives will affect the mental aspect of his recovery. Granted, Phelps is not like the rest of us mortals, but still something to think about.

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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