Michael Phelps won the 100m backstroke at the Austin Grand Prix, but the 14-time Olympic gold medallist said his winning time showed he has plenty of work to do.
|Last Updated: Jan 17, 2011, 12:08 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Austin: Michael Phelps won the 100m backstroke at the Austin Grand Prix, but the 14-time Olympic gold medallist said his winning time showed he has plenty of work to do.
Phelps on Saturday triumphed in 54.14 seconds, more than a second slower than his personal best.
“It wasn’t too bad,” said Phelps, who shot to global swimming stardom with his eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.
“I would really like to work on being able to finish a race better. My legs were in a lot of pain. That’s just lack of being in shape. I would like to feel a lot less (fatigue) than what I am, just because it’s close to the world championships and we’re heading into an Olympic trial year.”
At least Phelps had the satisfaction of beating compatriot Ryan Lochte - the world’s dominant swimmer in 2010.After finishing runner-up to Phelps in the 100m fly on Friday, Lochte settled for third in the 100m back behind American Nick Thoman.
As expected, Phelps opted out of the consolation final of the 200m breaststroke - a stroke he rarely swims in competition.
After his night’s work the Baltimore native was off to watch the end of the Raven’s NFL playoff contest at Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been following it the whole way through,” said Phelps, who was wearing a Ravens jersey. Like other Baltimore fans, he was doomed to disappointment as the team fell 31-24 to the Steelers.Rising star Missy Franklin, 15, nabbed two victories Saturday, in the 50m free and 100m backstroke.
She won the women’s back in a personal-best of 59.75 seconds.
“I did not think I would go under a minute at all,” Franklin said. “I’m so excited about it. Before the race my coach offered to buy me dinner for (breaking a minute). I should take him to somewhere expensive, shouldn’t I?”
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.