While answering fan questions during a Facebook live chat Friday, Michael Phelps mentioned that he would love to train and compete in Tokyo in 2020, but that injury risk was the main thing inhibiting him from giving it a go.
“If you could guarantee that I’d never be injured in four years…I’d probably do it again, because I had more fun this time.”
Phelps, who will turn 32 this summer, elaborated that he did not want to do anything that might cause long-term injury and limit his ability to spend time with his son Boomer as he grows up.
While Phelps trained less in the road to Rio than he did during his peak leading up to the Athens and Beijing Games, shoulder issues led to him needing two cortisone shots, according to his long-time coach Bob Bowman in a Sports Illustrated article published this past December.
Certainly swim fans everywhere would love to see the most decorated Olympian ever give it one more go, but whether or not he jumps back in the pool, what’s remarkable is the total change in Phelps’ demeanor compared to 4-5 years ago.
The time between the Beijing and London Olympics was a rocky one for Phelps, who seemed to suffer from a lack of motivation, and openly talked about needing to retire because he hated getting in the water. After a DUI arrest in 2014, Phelps visibly turned his life around and appeared to be having a lot more fun swimming than he had in a long time.
Even if he sticks to his plan of never competing again, Phelps is committed to helping promote the sport of swimming. In the Facebook live video, he talked about why he wanted to testify in front of Congress next week about anti-doping efforts.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever stood up on the block and competed against a completely clean heat,” Phelps said, as he explained why he felt the issue was so important. “I just think there are too many people who are cheating.”
You can watch the full 70 minute video on the official Michael Phelps Facebook page, but here are a few other tidbits:
- Most difficult opponent: “myself…Ryan [Lochte]…[Ian] Crocker”
- What he’d like to do to help the sport of swimming: “help them fall in love with the sport.”
- He has no plans to run a marathon.
- “The Phelps face only comes out when I’m angry.”
- The 200 fly was the toughest, most painful race in Rio.
- He can’t seeing himself running for political office.
- He drinks his coffee black.
I sincerely hope he does not try a comeback. Granted, he did great in Rio, but look closely and consider the following:
1. Bowman said in 2015 that the goal was for him to do some best times. Despite all his training, it didn’t happen. His body is just getting slower with age. It happens. I’m not taking anything away from him, nor showing anything but ultimate respect.
2. Look at the 200 fly. He won, but wan’t pretty
3. 100 Fly. Schooling won by biggest margin in long time and took the real WR which was Crocker’s textile best in 2005
4. Yes, all his relays were spectacular.
It just seems at some point,… Read more »
For the first time I hope he stays retired, schooling conger Murphy dressel and ledecky can handle winning gold for team usa(schooling, please rep red white and blue in 2020)
Schooling please don’t come to the US you’ll make more money in Singapore!
He can’t once you rep Singapore or another country you can’t rep anouther i think
Hi – you can change sporting citizenship after 1 year of residency in a new country, + citizenship.
So Phelps, not satisfied with the near universal acclaim he has received, now wants to spend his time asserting that every heat of every meet he competed in was filled with dopers. And that he, miraculously, beat them all. Without the help these drugs undeniably provide. Christ, man, be satisfied with what you pulled off. Look what happened to Armstrong when he came back for more glory.
I’m sure that’s exactly what Phelps was thinking….
Don’t forget about Roger Clemens!
Didn’t know he got cortisone shots, which, given I just reread this lovely passage by Charlie Pierce yesterday makes me wanna block quote this:
“But many people, like me, argue that, if taken with informed consent under the supervision of an independent physician, there is no logical ethical case to be made that drugs that make a performance possible—like, say, painkillers—are permissible, but drugs that make a performance better are not.”
I’d love to see a poll of that on this here website, hahh.
The 200 fly was the toughest, most painful race in Rio.
And this was incredibly obvious to anyone that saw the last 15 meters, hahah.
Definitely a point to debate. If steroids are illegal because they boost an individual’s performance, then how can inhalers be legal since they also boost an individual’s performance? In my opinion health should not be a factor. If you cannot naturally breathe well, then that is your disadvantage to overcome naturally. If you cannot build muscle/endurance naturally, then that too is your disadvantage to overcome.
I take this stance because I’ve had teammates that have been so shot up with painkillers before that they can’t even feel, but hey they won the meet after that so it doesn’t matter right?
Good quote. Can you share the url?
He’s coming back
I’m gonna guess he comes back, he’s never done anything other than swimming. He didn’t study anything at Maryland, Ann Arbor, or Arizona, so he’s not prepared for a second career. Swimming is what he knows.
Yes, because you definitely need a degree to have a career.
Dude could live on endorsements and speaking engagements for the rest of his life.
Why would Phelps need a second career lol. He’s probably worth 50-100m and likely has lifetime endorsements
He doesn’t need a second career financially. But he’ll get bored, speaking engagements, endorsements, etc. won’t fill the void. Golf didnt fill the void after his first retirement. Only thing he’s demonstrated a passion for is swimming. Maybe youth coaching? I bet he comes back.
I actually want him to stay retired. Life is not just swimming and he’s deserved his new life
Life is about diversity , not goals after goals . Is it really necessary ?