This Week: An Eye on Phelps in the Trials at He's Fit

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This Week: An Eye on Phelps in the Trials

Posted June 29, 2008 at 03:00 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Cardio Training, Alt. Therapies, His Inspiration, Success Stories

phelps To qualify for an individual event in Beijing, Phelps needs to finish first or second in the Olympic trials this week. Phelps is entered in nine events, but he dropped out of today’s 400 free on Saturday, and might drop out of one or two more before the finals. It’s all about strategy, not getting injured, and most important: winning.

At the Olympics in Athens four years ago, Phelps won six gold medals (four individual, two relays). Mark Spitz won seven golds in 1972. Guess how many gold medals Phelps wants to win in Beijing in August? Think eight. But is this feat impossible? This week will tell us.

Here’s a look at Phelps’s schedule in the trials (taken from SFgate):

Today: 400 IM - Morning prelims and evening final. Phelps set the world record at last year’s world championships in Australia.
Monday: 200 free - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps is the world record-holder. / 100 backstroke - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps is second-fastest behind world record-holder Aaron Peirsol.
Tuesday: 200 butterfly - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps is the world record-holder.
Wednesday: 100 free - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps owns the fastest qualifying time in a loaded event. / 200 fly - Final.
Thursday: 200 backstroke - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps’ qualifying time trails include both Aaron Peirsol and world record-holder Ryan Lochte. / 100 free - Final. / 200 IM - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. Phelps is the world record-holder.
Friday: 200 back - Final. Will be a must-see event if Phelps makes it. He qualified second at the 2004 trials, but dropped the event at the Olympics and didn’t swim it at last year’s world championships. / 200 IM - Final. / 100 butterfly - Morning prelims and evening semifinals. World record-holder Ian Crocker resumes his rivalry with Phelps.
Saturday: 100 fly - Final. Phelps’ last day of competition.