By David Rieder
Here at U.S. Nationals in San Antonio, the entire crowd will sit up a little bit and focus in on lane three during the second-to-last-heat of the session when Michael Phelps will hit the water for the first time this week. Phelps, competing at Nationals after getting kicked off the World Championships team following his DUI arrest last October, aims for his ninth career national title in his signature event, the 200 fly.
Phelps will swim both butterfly events, along with the 200 IM and perhaps the 200 breast in San Antonio. He has called the butterfly events relatively slow internationally over the past few years, but he has to know about some fast times posted halfway around the world in Kazan, Russia. Phelps knows well that Laszlo Cseh, who so often played the role of second fiddle, won the 200 fly earlier this week in 1:53.48 and that Cseh broke 51 in the prelims of the 100 fly at Worlds earlier today.
Photo Courtesy: Robert Stanton/USA Today Sports Images
Can Phelps get under the times that won World Championship gold medals? Who knows, at this point, except for perhaps Phelps himself and his coach, Bob Bowman. Phelps has yet to post any especially quick times in his latest comeback this year. Is he in shape? His swims over the next three days should be telling. In meets earlier this year, Phelps has faded badly over the final lengths of his 200 fly races, and he will need to be much improved there if he wants to approach Cseh’s times from Kazan.
But even aside from Phelps, the men’s 200 fly holds a lot of intrigue. 18 year old Andrew Seliskar enters with the top seed in the event at 1:55.92 as he looks to take the step from prospect to contender. Short course American record-holder Jack Conger will make his debut for the meet, as will 2013 National title winner Tom Luchsinger. Clark Smith could also be in contention after a big drop to finish second in Thursday’s 400 free, as could former Michigan Wolverine Kyle Whitaker.
Expect an interesting race in the final. Phelps has more speed than any of the other contenders, but has he put himself in the physical shape he needs to be in to hold on over the final 75 meters of a race as grueling of the 200 fly. And keep an eye on the scoreboard as well; no American went faster than 1:55.75 at Worlds earlier this week, and no American besides Phelps has medaled internationally in the event since Tom Malchow back in 2003. Will this be yet another Phelps-only show, or will new blood step up their game?
The 200 fly master !!
Go Michael!!! God speed.
Was he “kicked” off the world team?
Is he going to swim 100m butterfly?
I think he can do it. He did a lot better his last 200 but his turns can be better. Cut some time with better turns.