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U.S. OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS

July 1, 2016

Michael Phelps

Omaha, Nebraska

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Michael Phelps, the three-time defending champion in the Olympic Games in the 200 IM, earned his fourth consecutive Trials victory in the event.

Q. Michael, you're pretty good at knowing the history of the sport pretty well. Are you aware that you've never lost to Ryan in a Trials or the Olympics and why you think you have that sort of advantage over him or have had that?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I mean, like I said before, you know, racing somebody like him, you know, it doesn't really matter where he is in training, he's somebody who is always really tough. And, you know, we do race each other very well and like you saw, we raced each other until the last stroke.

I think it's just -- we both just go to that next level when we swim with one another, and for me personally looking at tonight's race there, is so much I can improve on. It's a decent time and I got on the team. That's really all that it was. I'm really not pleased with the time, but, like I said, there's four weeks where we can really improve and tonight was brutal. That hurt! The 100 Fly hurt! So what am I in, lane two or seven tomorrow? First time in that lane so that should be fun!

Q. You kind of alluded to this but as satisfying as a lot of this week has been, is it already in the corner of your mind that you're going to need to be faster in Rio?
MICHAEL PHELPS: 100 percent.

Q. Are you analyzing already how to get there?
MICHAEL PHELPS: Yeah, I think there are a lot of small things that Bob and I can do to get there. If you look at any of my turns in the IM, they were all awful, and it's a lot of small things. Like I said to him today, my legs haven't felt like they normally feel during a taper at all this whole meet. So I think he's already -- when I was sitting down, that's when we were going back and forth talking about some stuff, so I think that's something that he's already planning on changing for Rio and, you know, I think we're in a good place where we can improve if we want to win a medal.

I think it's going to take a lot faster times than the two finals that I've had so far.

Q. What's been the recovery since you finished the 100 Fly? What have you been doing and how much more do you feel this now than past doubles you've done?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I haven't done a double like this in -- I mean, I did it four years ago but I haven't done a double this close in a really long time. We did lactate readings, and before the 100 Fly I was five, so clearance is three, three or lower. After the 100 Fly I was 13, and after the awards ceremony I was 12. So I spent a lot of time cooling down, and I cleared pretty good.

I got down to 1.2, which I don't remember the last time I've gotten down to one, so I had a good clearance.

Drinking like a protein/carb drink and had two "Bare Naked" bars, and that's about it. I'm going to get a massage, sit in the a 50-degree ice tank, and I'm going to go home and pass out! (Chuckles.)

Q. You've had a good year so far. In 20 years, you look back on this year, what do you take away from this year as a whole and this week, specifically?
MICHAEL PHELPS: 20 years from now I'm going to be happy that I came back and decided to go another Olympics. That was something that I didn't want to have, I never wanted to have that "what if," and, you know, I think this journey has been incredible. Being able to fall in love with the sport again is something that I've always wanted to do again and, you know, I did it on my terms.

So, you know, coming back and being able to make my fifth Olympic Team, it's special, very special, especially with Boomer here.

Q. It seemed with 25 meters to go you were dead even. Did you know where he was, and did you get a sense that you would have to power through the last few strokes to beat him?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I knew we were about even coming off the breast/free wall; I saw a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye. It's so funny, I literally was watching the replay of the 2012 when they were replaying it on the TV in here, and we were in the same lanes, and it was pretty much the same exact race. So it's kinda crazy how our races usually work. They usually do come down to the touch. I tried to overkick sort of going into the last 25, because I did know how close it was. I just wanted to get my hand on the wall first.

Q. Michael, as cool as it is to make a fifth Olympic Team, do you feel any sense of frustration or puzzlement that you've put in all this extra work, you've trained really well, and I think your times, at least in the 200 Fly, were faster at the 2012 Trials, when you didn't have the background. Do you and Bob have an understanding of why that might be?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I mean, I hope he does. I've trusted him for this long. I think I'm just trusting the process. There have been a lot of frustrations in meets that I've had over the last two years, and maybe this is just one of them, you know, being able to get on the team and being able to have the chance to improve over the next couple of weeks, you know, I think it's going to be good.

I always love training with a different group, and we're going to have a great group of guys, and some of the guys who are on the team are excellent trainers, and I've already trained with them before, so I'm looking forward to that, and Conor is coming back to Arizona with us and going to train down there for the next week so, you know, I think making some small changes and, you know, for some strange reason when I was 11 years old I trusted Bob when he told me I could make the Olympic Team, and that trust hasn't gone way yet.

Q. We talked about the flat tire that you got --
MICHAEL PHELPS: Yeah, Ryan give me a flat tire walking out. I was so pissed!

Q. Seems like you guys are more "jokey" than you were in the past. Talk about how your relationship has evolved.
MICHAEL PHELPS: Honestly, I think we've both just grown up. I do feel like I talk to him more and joke around with him more than I really did in the past. I think we're both just loving life and loving what we're doing. Yeah, he caught me by surprise when he gave me a flat tire walking out, and we were just joking around behind the block.

I think it shows that we're both enjoying ourselves, and it is crazy. We have been racing each other for 13 years and tonight was the last race that you guys on American soil will see between the two of us. So pretty cool, and we've had a lot of amazing races, and looking forward to hopefully putting on a good show in that IM in Rio.

Q. Michael, you know the scope of history, you've made the eight gold medals, the five straight Olympic Teams, and the three straight gold medals in one event that you did twice. In this event you will have a chance to become the first man to win four straight gold medals in one event. What would that mean to you and how do you think the other competition is going to be, specifically Kosuke Hagino, who has been 1:55.0 this year, trying to interrupt your chance at history?
MICHAEL PHELPS: There are always fast times that are swam throughout the world. I'm sure Chad is going to swim a fast time, too, if he decides to swim that race. I think the biggest thing is preparing myself, and if I'm at the best, that's all I can ask for. I do understand that I have to swim faster to have a chance to win the gold medal; I do know that. Like I said, there are a bunch of small things that I know I can improve on so, Hagino does have a full schedule, too, and mine's a little tapered back, so hopefully the old man strength can kick in.

Q. Hi. I was just wondering if you would help Boomer with swim and if so what stroke?
MICHAEL PHELPS: Boomer got in the water once; he was not happy with me. The water might have been a little too cold, so I think we're going to try heating our pool up a little bit more, and maybe he will like that. He loves the bath, so he does like the water. He kinda just plays with the water faucet. I don't know if he will be a swimmer. If he is, I'll give him some pointers. I don't know. I'm going to leave it up to him. I'm looking forward to watching him grow up, and just over the last two weeks he's grown so much. It's an exciting time and just exciting to have him be here. Thanks, guys.

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