Michael Phelps...bows out of race & jolts fans! Reporter scuttlebutt stings

Un-sportsman-like behavior?

Fans received quite a jolt at the Pan Pacific Championships when Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps dug in his heels - instead of electing to dive into the crystal clear waters sparkling nearby - and announced he was cancelling his slot in the 200 individual medley race with Ryan Lochte.

Ryan Lochte undoubtedly pined to best a victory he landed over Phelps two weeks ago at the U.S. championships.

The accomplishment was no mean feat in the wake of the supersuit bans in January.

When Lochte nabbed the golden prize, he became the first swimmer to break a world record since the restrictions were imposed.

Meanwhile, when probed by a News commentator poolside in Irvine (CA), Phelps caught himself - midstream, so to speak - revealing the awful truth.

“With all the training I’ve been doing - well, not doing - I didn't feel confident that I’d be able to go any faster,“ he confessed in so many words.

Was it a sloppy slip of the tongue that caused the star athlete to admit he hadn’t been training?

Just yesterday, I reported that the celebrated swimmer’s coach was frustrated by the lack of focus and Phelps' continued failure to appear poolside regularly to keep-in-shape for the upcoming competitions.

Post: 08/21/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/08/michael-phelpsnabs-4-golds-bad-boy.html

On the heels of the initial revelation, Phelps uttered up a flimsy excuse to explain away why he was backing down from the much-anticipated race against good friend and competitive rival Lochte.

“I was feeling sluggish,” he whined.

Obviously, when you consider that Phelps failed to qualify for the 400 IM final.
Poor baby!

So, like a quitter - afraid to face challenges square on - Phelps chose to hang out with his girlfriend on the sidelines instead as Lochte went on to win the individual medley.

In fact, when the eager swimmer hit the wall, he scooped up the win with the 3rd-fastest time in history (in spite of the fact he slowed down a hair’s breath on the last leg of the race).

Even powerhouse swimmers like Lochte occasionally lack that final burst of energy to surge ahead when seconds are crucial in the end scheme of things.

Lochte ended up with 6 gold medals at Pan Pacific for his efforts.

At the end of the day, Michael Phelps qualified to race in competitive stints in upcoming swim meets on an International level.

His 2011 schedule likely will include the 200 IM, 200 freestyle, and the 100 and 200 butterfly.

Of course, there will be at least three relays, too.

Most agree - it was an odd sight, though - to spy the high-profile hunk sitting out an event.

Some critics argued that Phelps bowed out because he doesn’t like losing.

“Lochte was a wake-up call for Phelps. He has been forced to move into a different gear,“ one reporter quipped in a commentary on air.

Lochte won four individual gold medals to two squirreled by Phelps, including surefire wins  in the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys.

If you recall, Phelps once was King in these events.

Others whispered that Michael took the action he did because he was flat-out getting tired of losing to Lochte - a swimmer who has been breathing down his back - and on occasion - besting him at the finish line.

Lochte is a comer, after all, who has the staying power to compete in 5 or 6 races through the course of a day.

"He's versatile," one sport reporter underscored in his assessment.

Unlike Phelps - Lochte set his sights on his goals - and trained hard in the weeks leading up to the Pan Pacific Championships to achieve them.

What does the future hold for Phelps?

A fall from grace, perhaps, if he continues to pull these last-minute stunts which smack of a spoiled child anxious to pluck up his marbles and go home when things don't go his way.

Michael, get a grip!

Young blood breathing down Phelps back!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Beverly Boys...Olympic swimmer saved my life! Butterfly stroke her specialty...

The Olympics triggered a childhood memory of the day I nearly drowned when I was about ten years old.

I was attending a summer camp on Rice Lake (way back in the early sixties) when I nearly ended up a goner during a relay race held at the end of my two-week stint in the country.

Camp Rolling Acres was an ideal location for a camp - away from the drone of the city - and wedged between the edge of a slash of lush forest and the pristine shore of a fresh-water lake that mirrored the breathtaking azure skies above it.

The private concern was hailed for its wide range of recreational activities that city kids up for the holidays yearned for.

In addition to swimming classes (at the shoreline where spritely-colored buoys bobbed lazily in crystal clear waters), there were exciting boating lessons to partake in (how to paddle a canoe for instance), which made for quite a few exciting adventues with fellow campers who usually became fast friends by nightfall.

At the end of the camp season, tradition dictated, that young campers participate in a round of competitions (Olympic style) in the spirit of good will.

With little ado, I was assigned the "pajama" crawl, in a relay race which consisted of four parts.

For example, in one stint, a team member galloped a designated route on horseback - at which point - a baton was handed-off to a second member (four total in the  group) who might race on foot (let's say).

When the baton was offered to me, I was required to jump in the lake in a pair of pajamas - swim to a raft - and return to the shore with wand intact in hand to tun over to the third team mate.

Although I am a great swimmer, unfortunately, I was urged to toss on a pair of pajamas that were a couple of sizes too large.

Yup, 'ya got it.

Once the pj's got sopping wet, I became entangled and - shortly thereafter (like a deadweight) - began to slowly drift down to the bottom of the lake as a swirl of startling dream-like images engulfed me.

Just as I thought I was about to float into heaven, I was jolted by an unexpected awakening!

Suddenly, there was a lot of violent splashing - on the heels of which - I felt myself being gently lifted up.

In moments, I hit the surface of the lake, and crashed through it into the bright light of day.

As my chest erupted into sharp hard coughs, my eyes locked with Beverly Boys - who (along with another unknown young man) - began to gently ease me to the shore out of harm's way.

Within minutes I was on the comforting shores of  Rice Lake recovering from the other-worldly sojourn  - as a host of onlookers gazed on - shocked by the near-drowning.

I was blessed.

As fate would have it, Ms. Boys was an Olympic swimmer in training at the camp that summer.

Thanks to her gargantuan muscles (developed from her specialty stroke the butterfly) - and her quick thinking - I was snatched from the claws of death.

Imagine that!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Footnote

Beverly Boys (born July 4, 1951 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired diver from Canada, who represented her native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1968. She won a total number of three medals (two silver, one bronze) at the Pan American Games (1967 and 1971). She won two medals (one silver, one bronze) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and two gold medals at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, and a silver medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

Reference: Wikipedia

Michael Phelps...swimmer's pubes sexy! Scores 2 wins with little fanfare @ U.S. Competitions...

Studly Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps - the "Submarine Dude" - scored two hits at the U.S. Competitions Wednesday with little fanfare or much ado.

In fact, Phelps appeared to be a bit put-off by his performance in the overall swim of things, as he gingerly stepped from chilly waters he's not quite used to.

Yup!

Although the naughty party boy hit the wall in the 200 meter freestyle in 1 minute 44.23 seconds, the young Adonis didn't appear to be thrilled with that snail's-pace performance, one iota.

In fact, even though he beat out the competition in the 200-meter butterfly (1:52.76), Phelps was inclined to shake his head a tad - at which point he openly hinted to sports writers on the sidelines - that the golden boy was in a tizzy 'bout something.

Maybe, it's suddenly dawning on the kid, that he can't fight gravity forever.

After all, there's a bumper crop of leaner, stronger, more focused swimmers (Aaron Peirol?) breathing down his tanned toned back.

Is the hooch slowing the stud muffin down?

Me-thinks!

It's doubtful Phelps will ever go down in a humiliating fashion like Tiger Woods.

But, without focus, what good is pure speed?

The obvious display of dissatisfaction poolside may be a subtle sign that America's Olympic Hero, may be losing his grip.

News at 11!

Poetry in Motion

http://www.julianayrs.com