The most decorated Olympian in the history of the mega quadrennial Games, Michael Phelps has thrown down the gauntlet at his rivals with a victory in the 100m butterfly race at the Arena Pro Series meet in Orlando on Thursday. The 22-time Olympic medallist took 52.28 for the win, that put him in the second place in the world this year after his dazzling 51.94 at the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series Austin in January.
Phelps’ compatriot Tom Shields pushed him hard but had to settle for the second place with a timing of 52.35 while Brazil’s Henrique Martins finished third with 52.59.
However, the timing did not please the perfectionist Phelps who lamented about going over 52. The frustration is justified given the 30-year-old holds the world record in that category with his smashing 49.82 at the 2009 World Championships in Rome.
“I hate doing 52. I spent a whole year doing it last year, and it is just frustrating. Having a finish like that potentially could cost me someday,” the three-time reigning Olympic100m butterfly champion said.
For the first time since 2007, Phelps has participated at an event without his longtime coach Bob Bowman by his side, who is busy coaching the Arizona State men’s team at the Pac-12 Championships in Washington. Phelps, though, was in constant communication with Bowman and even told him about how dissatisfied he was with the result.
“I felt like my last stroke was terrible. I felt better than I did this morning, but I don’t know. As soon as I got out, I texted Bob [Bowman, Phelps’ coach] with some frustration. His response was,’The swimming is fine. It’s just the small things you need to pay attention to a little bit more.’ He is 100 percent right,” said Phelps.
Katie Ledecky wins 200m freestyle
In some of the other results from the meet, swimming sensation Katie Ledecky scooped up the gold in 200m freestyle in a time of 1:55.73. It is the second-fastest timing in the world behind her own 1:54.43 which she posted at Austin in January.
Missy Franklin, who swam to four gold medals at the London Games, came in second at 1:57.67 while Allison Schmitt ended up in third place with 1:58.18.
Meanwhile, the women’s 100m fly event was won by German swimmer, Aliena Schmidtke, who finished in 59.94. Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, who won the 2012 Olympic bronze in 200m breaststroke, emerged victorious in 100m breaststroke with her season’s best timing of 1:05.70.
