Courtesy of Josh Brown. Follow: @joshbrownisaman
Michael Phelps isn’t called the greatest swimmer in the world for nothing. He didn’t take swimming to an entirely new level by doing something everyone thought was possible. The question, Oh, are you the next Michael Phelps? might be just about the greatest compliment you could ever hope to get.
Michael Phelps (courtesy of Rafael Domeyko)
To err is human…
Michael Phelps can teach us so much about swimming, sports in general, and reaching your fullest potential. He shows us that you don’t have to be perfect to be the best. Sure, he has made mistakes, some that have negatively affected his swimming career. But from these mistakes he has shown us that it doesn’t take a superhero from another planet to come along and win countless Olympic Medals, and set countless world records. It takes an individual just like you and me, with an unwavering drive to be the best they can be. He teaches us that even though you mess up and the road seems rough, it’s never too late to bounce back. If you are struggling with life outside of the pool, Phelps shows us you can always regain your focus and achieve those great times, even when many thought you couldn’t.
You’re never too old…
Phelps also shows us that it’s never too late to go for the gold. Just this past U.S. National Championships, many people thought Phelps was past his prime, that he had fallen from the top list of the world’s swimming-elite. Instead, Phelps proved it’s never too late in your career, and it’s never a bad time to swim fast! He posted top times in the world as well as some of the fastest textile suit times ever! He did it in the United States, in Texas, not at an international meet, showing us it’s never the wrong place or the wrong time to lay it on the line and do your best.
Michael Phelps celebrates at US Nationals after topping Chad Le Clos’ World Championships winning time. (courtesy of Rafael Domeyko)
Pressure…
Finally, Phelps shows us how to rise to the occasion and not give in to pressure, either from ourselves, coaches, competitors, or anyone else (like the media in Michael Phelps’ case). Phelps demonstrates what we can accomplish when we set our minds to a goal. Throughout his career — from his 2000 Olympics, to his gold medal run in Beijing, to the 2015 U.S. National Championships — Phelps has always shouldered the pressure. He has endured it from other athletes around the world talking smack, from the public who sometimes doubted him…perhaps even from himself. Phelps always manages to use that to his advantage and rise to the occasion, allowing it to fuel his fire for an awesome swim. We should all be like that.
We can all learn a lot from the greatest swimmer to have ever graced the planet. He can inspire us all to do things we never thought we could before. Michael Phelps really can teach us a lot about the sport or swimming and how to rise to the challenge, and even more about the game of life!
Michael Phelps Parting Shot
Anyone else think it’s hillarious that Phelps’ fourth highest power-point eventin 2015 was the 200 breast? To me that just proves how threatening he is in any event when he’s shaved and tapered like he was in all of his events at nationals this summer…
100 free 47.8 ( relay )
200 fly 1 51. 8( OR)
200 free 1 44 . 5 ( relay)
200 im 1 53.9 (WR)
100 fly 50.02 ( OR)
100 fly 49.8 ( relay)
I’m going to go out on a limb and say Phelps does make the team. It’s a long shot but I think he could be the 5th or 6th man on the 4 x 200 relay. I do agree that he has no chance at the 200 im he tends to tighten up in that race
Alright, joking aside.
Day 2: He doesn’t contend the 200 free to be fresh for the 4×100 free. If he leads that off he goes somewhere between 47.5 and 48. If he doesn’t lead that off he goes under 47.
If he does end up in the 200 free he medals. Tough to tell how well the 200 freestylers will be swimming next year but he can manage 1:44.5.
Day 4: Wins the 200 fly in 1:52 low/ 1:51 high. Swims tired on the 4×200 but survives and the US win.
Day 6: Wins 200 IM first man under 1:54…1:53.6 maybe.
Day 7: Wins 100 fly, first man under 50 in textile.
Day 8: Murphy, Cordes, Phelps, and Adrian win… Read more »
Phelps had some impressive swims at the 2015 Nationals, but he is still fighting history and time. Phelps was the first to 3-peat at the Olympics, so to earn a 4-peat is on par with getting 8 gold medals.
Phelps had good and bad swims in 2015, but more swims were just ok or bad. He knew he was training hard but not performing well. The swims at Nationals were excellent, but can he still train hard, remain injury free, make the change to Arizona, and manage the double taper.
I think Phelps best chance is the 2IM. With 20 guys going :51 and Cseh and LeClos going :50s, this event will be rough. Guys like Shields and Conger will… Read more »
Phelps swims the 100 fr, 100 fly, 200 IM, and all 3 relays in Rio.
He doesn’t swim the 200 fly. Insert popcorn eating emoticon *here*.
I like the Michael Phelps I saw this summer. I agree with Bobo Gigi that seeing him have fun is more important than his times. From 2009-2012 he was a pretty lousy ambassador for the sport: skipping fans and the media, skipping practices, making excuses about how out of shape he was at meets. He let the pressure get to him, like the genius C-student who doesn’t try because he might find out he’s not the smartest person in the class.
Quitting with no intention of swimming again made the difference for him. Even if you are the best in the world, being defined by one thing is a huge burden. I’m glad he took some time to figure out… Read more »
It really is incredible to consider Phelps and Lochte have been so consistent for the U.S., especially on relays, since the 2004 Olympics. The duration of excellence for those two guys is truly incredible.
The 2im WR 154.00 seems like it could be pushed lower. The fly records less certain.
What about the double taper issue of trials and olympics? If Phelps wants to swim WRS at Rio does that mean he risks not doing a full taper for trials? It depends of the rela competition in these events at trials can improve and throw down threatening times where Phelps has to be 100pct to beat them. I know Phelps camp is better at solving these types of problems than they appear solvable on the surface.