Sun coverage: Michael Phelps
February 9, 2010
Sports Digest: Phelps, Pelton to compete in Missouri Grand Prix
Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps of Baltimore and Elizabeth Pelton of Ruxton will be among 15 U.S. national team members competing at the Missouri Grand Prix on Friday through Monday in Columbia. The meet will take place at the Mizzou Aquatic Center, and is the third stop of the eight-meet USA Swimming Grand Prix Series that awards the overall winner a $20,000 grand prize. A leader board can be found online at www.usaswimming.org.
January 29, 2010
Subway's Phelps ad campaign not derailed by USOC
The Subway restaurant chain defended its advertising campaign with Baltimore-based swimmer Michael Phelps against the U.S. Olympic Committee's attack on "ambush marketing."
January 18, 2010
Sports Digest: Phelps, Hoff win 400 IM gold at Southern California GP
Michael Phelps, who lives in Fells Point, and Katie Hoff of Towson won gold medals Sunday night at the Southern California Grand Prix in Long Beach. Phelps held off Japan's Hidemasa Sano in the 400-yard individual medley to take home his second gold of the meet. Phelps finished in 3 minutes, 38.42 seconds; Sano's time was 3:39.63. Hoff won the 400IM in a meet-record-4:04.39, edging Ariana Kukors (4:06.04). Hoff was second in the 200 freestyle, finishing in 1:44.48; Dana Vollmer of Granbury, Texas, won in 1:43.29, and Elizabeth Pelton of Ruxton was third in 1:45.52.
December 20, 2009
U.S. success at Duel suits struggling Phelps
Michael Phelps helped the Americans trounce the Europeans in the Duel in the Pool, anchoring the 400 freestyle relay team to one of the eight world records the U.S. team set over the two-day meet that ended Saturday.
December 19, 2009
Duel in the Pool: Phelps helps set record
Michael Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly and helped the U.S. 400 medley relay team break the world record, one of five the Americans set Friday in taking a commanding lead at the Duel in the Pool.
December 18, 2009
Phelps to wear old-style suits for 'Duel in the Pool'
Michael Phelps will continue his back-to-the-future transition to old-style swimsuits when he leads an American team against the best swimmers from Britain, Italy and Germany in the "Duel in the Pool."
December 16, 2009
Sports Digest: Merritt, Phelps Swim School team up on more locations
Merritt Athletic Clubs and the Michael Phelps Swim School are partnering on additional swim-school locations. The Michael Phelps Swim School will expand from a single location at Meadowbrook Aquatics Center to include the Merritt Athletic Clubs' Towson, Eldersburg and Canton locations. Swim classes include personal safety, stroke development, water sports and games, personal growth and rescue skills.
December 14, 2009
Phelps wins 5 in Annapolis
Michael Phelps won the 200-yard butterfly Sunday, giving the 14-time Olympic champion five first-place finishes in five events at the three-day NBAC Christmas Invitational short-course meet at the U.S. Naval Academy.
December 12, 2009
Phelps back in action at NBAC meet
The swimmer with the Midas touch threw back his head and laughed as he considered the question: Is competing this weekend at a meet he hasn't attempted in about three years a way to bring out the kid in him or does it make him feel like an old man?
November 24, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps looking ahead to better times in 2010
Michael Phelps is ready to put an up-and-down post-Olympic year behind him and focus on the challenges that await in 2010, including adjusting to a ban on the high-performance suits that rocked his sport. The 14-time Olympic gold medalist from Baltimore will compete in one final meet, Duel in the Pool on Dec. 18-19 in Manchester, England, before closing out the year. "The biggest thing right now is me getting back in shape," he said. Phelps' recent trip to Europe for two World Cup short-course meets produced a batch of what he described as "pretty awful slow races," resulting in no victories, let alone any records. In preparation for the Jan. 1 ban on high-tech suits, Phelps wore an old-style suit, making him look even slower against his polyurethane-clad competition. "In a way I'm kind of happy that happened, to light the fire a little bit more," he said.
November 15, 2009
Phelps struggles at World Cup event
Michael Phelps finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly Saturday at a short-course World Cup meet that featured six world records.
November 14, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps, Biedermann to meet with much less at stake
Paul Biedermann beat Olympic star Michael Phelps to win the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the world championships in Rome in August and the two will contest the same event this weekend at a World Cup meet in Berlin, but the Baltimore resident isn't making a big deal of the rematch. "I'll be the first to admit I'm not in a great shape," said Phelps, who returned to racing this week after a long layoff. "I'll race as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens." Biedermann, a German, is coming off a torn muscle fiber in his left thigh.
November 12, 2009
In Briefin Briefs
PRESS BOX
•SWIMMING: Michael Phelps finished second in the 200-meter medley final at the short-course World Cup in Stockholm, struggling in the old-style swimsuit that will become standard next year. Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocked 1 minute 53.93 seconds. He was more than two seconds behind South Africa's Darian Townsend.
November 12, 2009
Sports Digest: Spitz not resentful about Phelps' record gold haul
Mark Spitz says he's not bitter about losing swimming's most sacred record to Michael Phelps, who 15 months ago cemented a spot in Olympic history with eight gold medals, one more than Spitz won in 1972. "It's sort of like I'm the first man on the moon," Spitz said. "He's the second man on the moon. He collected more rocks." Phelps of Baltimore also is collecting scrutiny. "Of course, there's a lot of pressure," Spitz said. He said, "Michael is not a perfect person, and neither am I," a reference to Phelps' having been photographed last November inhaling from a marijuana pipe. "People are going to expect a lot from him."
November 11, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps is 3rd in 100 medley, misses 2 finals in Stockholm
Sporting a beard and an old-style swimsuit, Michael Phelps of Baltimore finished third in the 100-meter medley at a World Cup short-course meet in Stockholm, Sweden, after missing out on two other finals Tuesday. Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, swam the medley final in 52.14 seconds. South Africa's Gerhard Zandberg won in 51.77. Earlier Tuesday, Phelps, 24, failed to qualify for the finals of the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, in which he was disqualified for swimming too long under water. Competing for the first time since the world championships in August, he wore the type of suit that will become the standard next year. Most other swimmers used faster high-tech suits. After the race, he told reporters he was excited to be back racing. "I know I'm not in the best shape and I should be in better shape," Phelps said. "I didn't hit my first wall right, so it's kind of disappointing, but I'm happy overall." He finished 16th in qualifying for the 100 freestyle in 47.77 seconds. Today, Phelps will swim in the 100 butterfly and 200 medley heats. Baltimore's Elizabeth Pelton finished eighth in the women's 200 backstroke in 2:07.91.
November 10, 2009
Phelps gets jump on swimsuit use
- Michael Phelps plans to wear the old-style swimsuit that will become the standard next year at the European World Cup meet.
October 29, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps, Hoff among U.S. team members for Duel in the Pool
Fells Point resident Michael Phelps and 35 other top American swimmers were picked by USA Swimming to compete against a squad of European swimmers at the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool in Manchester, England, on Dec. 18-19. The event, which will be broadcast on NBC on Dec. 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m, will star Olympic gold medalists Phelps, Rebecca Soni, Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol. Towson's Katie Hoff will also compete for the U.S. team. This year's event takes on a new format with Team USA facing a team composed of the top swimmers from Great Britain, Germany and Italy.
October 17, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps leads Golden Goggle nominations with six
Michael Phelps has received a leading six nominations for the Golden Goggle awards, including Male Athlete of the Year. Phelps of Baltimore received three individual nods and three for relays. Olympian Ryan Lochte and Ariana Kukors received four nominations each. Phelps, Lochte and Aaron Peirsol were nominated for Male Athlete of the Year. The Coach of the Year ballot includes Bob Bowman of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. Fans can vote online at GoldenGoggles.com through Nov. 18.
September 10, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps' Speedo contract extended through 2013
The swimwear company Speedo announced Wednesday that it is extending its longtime partnership with Olympian Michael Phelps through 2013. As part of his new contract, Speedo said it will donate $10,000 to the Michael Phelps Foundation for every world record Phelps breaks and that Phelps has agreed to match the donation. The terms of Phelps' deal were not released. The swimmer's previous contract with Speedo became famous for a clause that awarded him a $1 million bonus for matching Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Phelps did that in 2008 in Beijing, winning the 100-meter butterfly by .01 of a second and earning his eighth gold medal the following night. Phelps, who has been under contract with Speedo since 2001, has remained loyal to the company, choosing to continue wearing Speedo suits this summer at the FINA world championships in Rome even though some swimmers said wearing the Speedo LZR Racer put him at a disadvantage against faster suits. Phelps was outwardly emotional after winning the 100-meter butterfly in Rome, climbing onto the rope line inside the pool and then pointing to the logo on his suit and slapping the water several times in celebration. "Speedo's support both in and out of the pool has helped me grow into the swimmer I am today," Phelps said in a statement. "I am grateful for the brand's commitment to help realize our shared vision to grow the sport of swimming both in the U.S. and around the world."
August 27, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps among 110 named to USA Swimming national team
Fells Point's Michael Phelps headlines the roster for the 2009-2010 national team released by USA Swimming. Also among the 110 team members are Ryan Lochte, Rebecca Soni and Aaron Peirsol.
August 24, 2009
Shaq makes splash, then swims against Phelps
Michael Kenny hoisted his 4-year-old son Bam-Bam onto his shoulders and waited with anticipation for two of the world's most recognizable athletes - Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Phelps to enter Loyola University's aquatics center.
August 23, 2009
Phelps gives Shaq swim tips on eve of race
Michael Phelps is wading through the baby pool in a colorful Speedo, his famous Olympic rings tattoo peeking suggestively out from his bathing suit.
August 16, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps has sore ankle from accident, says he's 'fine'
Swimmer Michael Phelps is nursing a sore ankle from the car accident he was in Thursday on Calvert Street, but the Olympic gold medalist intends to resume training Monday. In a message on his official Facebook site, Phelps said he was "fine" and expressed concern for the woman involved in the car crash.
August 16, 2009
Braving real world to see Phelps' accident in person
The call about Michael Phelps' car accident on Calvert Street crackled over the newsroom police radio as I was about to leave work Thursday night. My first thought was, when I get home, I'll have to go online and see what happened.
August 15, 2009
Woman to be cited in Phelps accident
A 28-year-old woman who was slightly injured when her Honda Accord hit a Cadillac Escalade driven by Olympic swimming star Michael Phelps in Baltimore's Mid-Town Belvedere neighborhood is to be charged with running a red light, a city police spokesman said Friday.
August 14, 2009
Michael Phelps involved in car crash
Michael Phelps, who holds the Olympic record with 14 gold medals for swimming, was shaken but apparently uninjured Thursday night when the late-model Cadillac Escalade he was driving in Mid-Town Belvedere collided with another vehicle, seriously damaging Phelps' vehicle, the other car and a parked vehicle, police said. The female driver of the Honda Accord was taken to an area hospital as a precaution, police said.
August 3, 2009
Phelps accomplishes another mission
- His words sounded hopeful, rather than pretentious.
August 2, 2009
Phelps wins record-setting showdown with Cavic
- One high-speed collision in a warm-up at a historic indoor pool built under the orders of Mussolini could have undercut another collision of ego and talent: the showdown between Michael Phelps and Milorad Cavic in the 100-meter butterfly.
July 31, 2009
No record safe
- Michael Phelps, quick in the pool, was nearly as fast with a race review Thursday night. It came from his vantage point in the stands where he observed the men's 200-meter individual medley from behind his shades, sans shirt, making a concession to the Roman heat.
July 30, 2009
Phelps rebounds with record-setting win
Michael Phelps on Wednesday got by, and then some - another world record - with a little help from his friends.
July 30, 2009
Unheralded American Walters reaches final of 100 free
Filippo Magnini, the two-time world champion? Gone. Nathan Adrian, the rising American star who took both sprint events at the recent nationals? Gone.
July 28, 2009
Swimming world championships
Phelps has new foes everywhere, it seems
Foes used to be easily identifiable for Michael Phelps.
July 27, 2009
Phelps, teammates win 400M freestyle relay
This all started with an equipment malfunction in the morning relay and ended with the favored French sprinters wilting again, giving Michael Phelps and friends another riveting victory in the 400-meter freestyle relay.
July 26, 2009
Phelps shares lighter moment with news media
- This might have been a new one in the storied career of Michael Phelps.
July 25, 2009
FINA bans controversial full-body swimsuits
Newly introduced swimsuits that Michael Phelps and other swimmers wore during the Beijing Olympics won't be legal come 2010, but that's not something the gold-medal winner is concerned with now that the sport's governing body voted Friday to ban the high-tech apparel.
July 19, 2009
No worries for Phelps
ROME - Michael Phelps has somehow slipped under the radar while preparing for the world championships.
July 17, 2009
Sports Digest: Spoiler alert: Don't read this if you plan to watch ESPYs
Swimmer Michael Phelps, a Rodgers Forge native and Fells Point resident, set an ESPYs single-year record Wednesday night in Los Angeles by winning five awards: Best Male Athlete, Best Championship Performance, Best Record-Breaking Performance, Best Moment (as part of the 1,600-meter Olympic relay) and Best U.S. Male Olympian. PGA standout Tiger Woods, who had received Best Male Athlete the previous five years, had held the single-year record with four awards. Phelps has six career ESPYs. The show will be televised on ESPN on Sunday at 9 p.m.
July 13, 2009
Phelps soaks in the cheers
- Michael Phelps stood in line patiently for his name to be announced along with the rest of the U.S. swim team, wearing a baggy blue shirt and black Speedo hat, turned sideways in his typical casual style. When his name was finally called, the crowd inside the Indiana University Natatorium roared with appreciation and Phelps smiled a goofy grin and raised his arms in thanks.
July 11, 2009
Pelton the next big thing?
Neither Michael Phelps nor Katie Hoff swam Friday at U.S. nationals. Phelps had to pull out of the 100-meter freestyle with neck pain, and Hoff withdrew from her final two events, putting an end to a meet where she never felt right physically or mentally. And yet North Baltimore Aquatic Club still had plenty to thump its chest about, thanks to a happy-go-lucky 15-year-old who seems to be emerging as the next big thing in American swimming.
July 10, 2009
Phelps finally gets record in 100 butterfly
Michael Phelps has always been a little obsessed with numbers, to the point where they sometimes pop up in his dreams. But during the past four years, no number has rattled around inside his head more than 50.40. It represented the world record in the 100-meter butterfly.
July 9, 2009
Phelps claims two wins at U.S. nationals
- When you think about it, Michael Phelps isn't just the greatest swimmer in the world because he's incredibly fast. It's also because, no matter what's going on in his life, no matter what transition he's undertaking or controversy he's facing, he's never slow.
July 7, 2009
Phelps on staying with his swimsuit: What handicap?
- Michael Phelps could sense the question coming long before it was asked.
July 6, 2009
U.S. championships mark Phelps' return in earnest
He tinkered with his stroke and exhausted his muscles in the weight room. He grew a mustache. He won some races and lost a few. He just missed out on grabbing the world record he wants but doesn't own.
July 2, 2009
Change doesn't suit Phelps
There will be plenty of swimmers in Indianapolis at the U.S. national championships next week wrestling with the decision about what kind of swimsuit to wear. Michael Phelps won't be one of them.
June 25, 2009
Olympian Phelps gets 4 nominations
Michael Phelps has 14 Olympic gold medals but only one ESPY. That's likely to change after he led the way Wednesday with four nominations for next month's ESPY Awards.
June 22, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps wins 100 freestyle, last race before nationals
Michael Phelps swept both events he entered at the Canada Cup in Montreal, though he gave himself a split decision on his performance in his last two races leading up to next month's U.S. nationals. Phelps, who lives in Fells Point, won the 100-meter freestyle Sunday in the pool that hosted the 1976 Olympics after posting a personal best time there in winning Saturday's 100-meter butterfly. His time of 48.65 seconds in the 100 freestyle improved on the 48.87 he swam one week earlier, when he finished second to defending world champion Brent Hayden of Canada in Santa Clara, Calif. "I'm sort of everywhere where I want to be, except in the 100 free," Phelps said. "I want to be faster in that." He hit the first turn in the 100 in 23.59 seconds, 0.20 ahead of Australian Matt Targett. He held on to his margin on the second length but was unable to add much more distance between himself and Targett, who finished second in 48.87. "I wish I could answer the question of what happened in the second 50," Phelps said. "I'm going to watch the video and see what happened with my stroke and if it fell apart or not. The first 50 felt awesome. That's the best my stroke has felt in a race, was the very first lap, and I've just got to work on doing it for the 100's two laps."
June 21, 2009
Phelps delivers in 100-meter butterfly
Michael Phelps is getting ready for the U.S. championships in impressive fashion.
June 20, 2009
Phelps to swim in Montreal this weekend
Michael Phelps will swim in Montreal this weekend in his final tuneup before next month's U.S. championships in Indianapolis.
June 17, 2009
Phelps signs endorsement deal with H2O Audio
The sound of music has Michael Phelps back in the endorsement business, just months after a tabloid photo of him holding a bong caused the loss of one sponsor and earned him a three-month suspension from USA Swimming.
June 15, 2009
Phelps loses in two finals at Santa Clara International GP
Two races, two losses for Michael Phelps. The 14-time Olympic gold medalist was beaten in the 100-meter freestyle and 100 backstroke Sunday night at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix. Phelps, who lives in Fells Point, finished second behind defending world champion Brent Hayden of Canada in the 100 free, which featured seven Olympians among the nine finalists. Hayden, the leading qualifier, touched in 48.44 seconds. Phelps, swimming in Lane 8, clocked 48.87. Phelps lost the 100 back to Olympic teammate Ryan Lochte, who went out fast and held on in 54.15 to complete a sweep of the backstroke events. Phelps touched second in 54.31.
June 14, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps edges Cochrane, wins 400 free at Santa Clara GP
Michael Phelps held off a late charge by his rivals to win the 400-meter freestyle at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix. Phelps, who lives in Fells Point, cruised to an early lead in the final, but he had to dig in over the final 100 meters to win in 3 minutes, 48.05 seconds under sunny, windy conditions at the outdoor pool. Ryan Cochrane of Canada pushed Phelps in the closing meters only to settle for second in 3:48.40. Robert Hurley of Australia was third in 3:48.49.
June 13, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps easily wins 200 fly at Santa Clara Grand Prix
Michael Phelps clobbered the competition in the 200-meter butterfly at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix. Phelps touched first in 1 minute, 54.31 seconds, beating the field by 5.67 seconds. Phelps' time lowered the meet record of 1:55.93 set by Davis Tarwater last year. "I was really happy with the time," Phelps said. "I'm in some kind of shape." Phelps owns the world record of 1:52.03 set in Beijing, where he won a record eight Olympic gold medals.
May 18, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps finishes second to Bousquet in 100 free
Two days, two losses for Michael Phelps. The Fells Point resident was beaten again at the Charlotte (N.C.) UltraSwim, losing to French star Frederick Bousquet in the 100-meter freestyle Sunday night. Phelps touched nearly a full second behind Bousquet, world-record holder in the 50 free, after losing his first final in nearly a year the previous night. Aaron Peirsol beat Phelps in the 200 backstroke. Bousquet went out strong, ensuring he had a big enough lead to hold off Phelps at the end - even as the winningest Olympian ever experimented with a new straight-arm stroke that is supposed to provide more speed. The Frenchman touched in 48.22 seconds, while Phelps never really had a chance and finished second in 49.04. "The biggest thing that killed me were my turns and my finishes," said Phelps, who holds the American record in the 100 free at 47.51. "I'm not disappointed with that time, but the finish was awful. There's small things I need to work on. But overall, it was a good meet." The North Carolina meet was his first since capturing a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.
May 16, 2009
Phelps: It's as if he never left
- Michael Phelps couldn't hear it because he had his iPhone ear buds tucked in, but when he walked into the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center on Friday night for the 200-meter freestyle final, AC/DC's "Back in Black" was blaring over the loudspeakers.
May 15, 2009
Laura Vozzella: Diving more deeply into the stripper-swimmer saga
Well, at least part of that Baltimore stripper's story holds water.
May 15, 2009
World curious to see Phelps swim in his return
- Normally, the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix is a pretty tame affair. In a busy year, USA Swimming credentials eight to 10 media members to cover the meet, and that would probably be a generous estimate.
May 14, 2009
Phelps: 'I still have a passion' for racing
This spring, for the first time in all the years they had worked together, Bob Bowman could not predict what Michael Phelps was going to do. Some days, the coach thought the 23-year-old would keep swimming through 2012. Other days, he felt as if Phelps were on the verge of walking away.
May 13, 2009
Laura Vozzella: Michael Phelps, a stripper and that British rag (again)
News of the World, the British tabloid that made a splash with the Michael Phelps bong photo, has a new story about the Olympian, and thank goodness this time there's no photographic evidence.
May 6, 2009
Phelps set to return after 3-month hiatus
Michael Phelps' three-month suspension from U.S. Swimming is officially over, and he'll return to competition next week for the first time since Beijing when he swims in the Charlotte (N.C.) UltraSwim.
April 23, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps to try new freestyle technique
Michael Phelps is following up his record performance at the Beijing Olympics by changing some of the swimming technique that carried him to eight gold medals. As the Baltimore resident shifts to focusing on shorter races, he hopes the new freestyle technique will increase his sprinting speed. "You'll all have to see. I'm not saying anything until we unveil it," Phelps said in New York when asked how he has tweaked the stroke. "It's a significant change." Phelps will reveal the new technique when he returns to competition at the Charlotte (N.C.) UltraSwim on May 14-17 in North Carolina, his first meet since Beijing. He plans to swim four events, including the 100- and 200-meter free and the 100 butterfly.
April 10, 2009
Phelps visits Maryland House, Senate
A visit by Olympic champion Michael Phelps to the Maryland State House on Thursday transformed delegates into a salivating swarm of paparazzi.
March 23, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps follows 'heart' back into pool
Michael Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics last summer, and several other Americans are in the middle of a two-week training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., for this summer's national and world championships. They're in the pool twice a day, at 7a.m. and 5p.m., and spent part of one day training with U.S. Navy SEALs. Phelps, a Baltimore resident, said all the scrutiny over a photo that surfaced in early February of him inhaling from a marijuana pipe hadn't taken away his motivation. Phelps was suspended for three months by USA Swimming and has lost two major sponsors. "It's all really about what's in your heart, and that's why I'm back in the pool," said Phelps, who plans to return to competition May 14-17 at the Charlotte (N.C.) UltraSwim.
March 17, 2009
Sports Digest: Spitz says he feels sorry for Phelps
Mark Spitz says he feels badly for Michael Phelps. Spitz, whose record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics was broken when Phelps won eight last year, talked briefly about Phelps last night while in Little Rock, Ark., for a speaking engagement. Phelps has been at the center of controversy after a photo surfaced showing the swimming star with a marijuana pipe. "As a fan, I feel sorry and I feel badly for him at this time," Spitz said. "Nobody would want to wish that upon him, I'm sure. He's obviously dealing with it in a way that he feels appropriate, and I'm not one to comment on whether it's right or wrong because I'm not with his management team."
March 15, 2009
David Steele: Phelps fish out of water on TV
A harsh reality emerged from Michael Phelps' interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, the first part of which aired Friday morning, with the second part tonight: Phelps doesn't function that well in front of cameras he knows about, either.
March 14, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps appears to be aiming for '12 Games
Michael Phelps believes he can maintain his passion for competition through the 2012 Olympics, the swimmer said yesterday in an interview on NBC's Today show. Phelps seemed to indicate that he's leaning toward competing in the London Games, something he was uncertain about after a photo of him inhaling from a marijuana pipe appeared in a British tabloid. "There are still things I want to achieve, things I want to accomplish," Phelps told Matt Lauer. Lauer also asked Phelps whether he had used marijuana, but the 14-time Olympic gold medalist did not answer the question directly. "It was a bad mistake," he said. "I mean, we all know what, you know, what you and I are talking about." More than a month after the photo appeared, Phelps said he regrets hurting those close to him more than losing sponsorship money. (Cereal giant Kellogg decided not to continue its relationship with the swimmer.) The rest of the interview will air tomorrow at 7p.m. on Dateline. Phelps is still serving a three-month suspension from USA Swimming because of the photo. CHILDS WALKER
March 12, 2009
Sports Digest: Olympic-size gift to Calif. food bank
Kellogg Co. donated thousands of boxes of cereal with Michael Phelps' picture on them to the San Francisco Food Bank. Kellogg declined last month to renew its endorsement deal with the Olympic swimming star and Baltimore resident after a photo surfaced showing him smoking from a marijuana pipe. Kellogg officials responded to questions from the Associated Press with an e-mail saying the company routinely donates food that is nearing the end of its shelf life but still good.
February 26, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps is dropped from 2 speaking dates
Michael Phelps has been dropped as the keynote speaker at two events in Canada next week, with the promoter citing the Olympic champion swimmer's "widely publicized alleged use of marijuana." Power Within Inc. of Toronto, which organizes motivational speaking events, canceled Phelps' appearances at events in Calgary, Alberta, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Toronto's Globe and Mail reported. Power Within initially stood by the swimmer but has now booked actor Martin Sheen as its keynote speaker for the Calgary event. The Vancouver event will feature Mehmet Oz, a regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
February 25, 2009
Phelps sets meet in May
Michael Phelps has decided not to waste any time returning to competition once his three-month suspension ends.
February 21, 2009
Sports Digest: IOC head says Phelps deserves second chance
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said swimming star Michael Phelps failed in his duty as a role model but deserves a second chance after being photographed with a marijuana pipe. Rogge said Phelps' apology and promise not to do it again earned him the benefit of the doubt. Phelps, who lives in Baltimore, won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. The 23-year-old was suspended by the U.S. swimming federation for three months after a British newspaper published the photo of Phelps holding the pipe at a party in South Carolina.
February 17, 2009
Phelps won't face charges in pot case
A South Carolina sheriff has decided not to pursue criminal charges against Michael Phelps in connection with a recently published photo of the swimmer with his mouth on a marijuana pipe.
February 13, 2009
Lawyer: S.C. police targeting Phelps
South Carolina authorities continue to gather evidence from a party attended by Michael Phelps in November at which he was photographed allegedly smoking marijuana, but even as more arrests are made and witnesses interviewed, what's still unclear is what might happen to the 23-year-old Olympic swimmer.
February 12, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps apologizes to Chinese fans
Olympic champion Michael Phelps apologized to Chinese fans for what he called his "regrettable behavior" after he was photographed with a marijuana pipe. The Rodgers Forge native spoke via the Internet on a video that appeared widely today on Chinese-language Web sites. The Chinese-language newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily said the Web sites had received the statement from automaker Mazda, which is reported to be paying Phelps more than $1million to endorse the car brand in China. Last month Phelps was back in Beijing - where he won a record-breaking eight gold medals - to do commercials for automaker Mazda.
February 11, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps cancels speech at IBM event in Las Vegas
Olympic champion Michael Phelps canceled plans to attend and speak yesterday at an IBM conference in Las Vegas, CNBC.com reported, and representatives for the Fells Point resident said he, not the company, made the decision. "Michael is concentrating on swimming this week," CNBC said a spokesman from Octagon, Phelps' management company, told the media outlet. Phelps is serving a three-month suspension from USA Swimming after a photo of him presumably smoking marijuana was published in a British tabloid. IBM announced in October that Phelps would be a guest speaker at the IBM Pulse 2009 Conference, organized by the company for its employees and business partners.
February 10, 2009
'Happier' Phelps still mulling 2012 Games
Michael Phelps' life has calmed down somewhat in the past few days. He isn't waking up to people shouting outside his apartment, and the paparazzi, for the most part, have stopped tailing him.
February 9, 2009
Susan Reimer: A hard week for Michael Phelps – and for Mom
Last week was a tough one for Michael Phelps. I am betting it was equally tough for his mom.
February 8, 2009
Phelps' decision on 2012 Games to have deep impact
For a week now, Michael Phelps has been one of the most polarizing figures in sports. And though this isn't the first time Phelps' judgment has been questioned, fallout from the incident has introduced something new to his career: indecision.
February 7, 2009
Phelps: Suspension 'fair'
Michael Phelps said yesterday that the decision by USA Swimming to suspend him for three months is "fair" and that he'll continue training for future events, even though he remains uncommitted about participating in the 2012 Olympic Games.
February 6, 2009
Michael Phelps suspended 3 months
USA Swimming said late last night that it has decided to suspend Michael Phelps from competition for the next three months as punishment for a photo that was published in a British tabloid over the weekend that appeared to show him smoking marijuana.
February 6, 2009
Laura Vozzella: Michael Phelps, party animal? That's fine
Baltimore boasts two sports phenomena struggling to reconcile upstanding corporate images with trashy party sides: Michael Phelps and the Preakness.
February 5, 2009
Intense scrutiny has Phelps weighing whether he will swim in 2012 Games
In his first interview since a photo surfaced showing him smoking from a marijuana pipe, Michael Phelps said yesterdaythat the intense public scrutiny has him contemplating whether he will swim in the 2012 Olympics.
February 4, 2009
Phelps could face criminal charges
Michael Phelps could face criminal charges as part of the fallout from a photo in a British tabloid showing him smoking from a marijuana pipe at a University of South Carolina house party, but yesterday one of his major sponsors - Visa - said it stands behind the Rodgers Forge native.
February 3, 2009
Phelps photo no joke, some say
Ten years ago, a photo that showed an athlete like Michael Phelps apparently getting high at a party probably would have resulted in considerable fallout.
February 3, 2009
Rick Maese: Sports has worse drug issues than Phelps' dopey behavior
More than 150 million Americans tuned into the Super Bowl on Sunday, most not caring that among the behemoths bouncing around the field, some surely had artificial, lab-produced fuel coursing through their veins, inflating their muscles, improving their performance.
February 2, 2009
Michael Phelps: Behavior 'inappropriate'
Michael Phelps, the Rodgers Forge native who has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history, acknowledged yesterday that he had engaged in "regrettable" behavior and shown "bad judgment" after a photo of him smoking what appears to be marijuana from a glass bong was published in a British tabloid over the weekend.
February 2, 2009
David Steele: Phelps should have known better
In defense of Michael Phelps and his "youthful and inappropriate" behavior and "bad judgment," taken on its own, this is far from the worst slip-up ever by a national hero. This space surely isn't the only one in which the first reaction to the now-infamous photo - eight-time gold medalist from the previous Olympics with a marijuana pipe stuck in his grille - was laughter. Plus, his instant contrition and pledge to do better, along with his near-universal fame, likely give him a cushion a lot of other celebrities wouldn't get.
January 28, 2009
'I always want to do better,' Phelps says at economics forum in Saudi Arabia
Mixing subjects linked to sports, society and business, Olympic champions Michael Phelps and Carl Lewis appeared at an economic gathering yesterday to promote sports in Saudi Arabia.
January 23, 2009
Phelps diving back in
There are still award shows to attend, trips to take and commercials to shoot. Such is a superstar's life. But twice during the past week, his schedule permitting, Michael Phelps has started swimming again. He has climbed back into the pool in which it all began - Meadowbrook Athletic Club in Mount Washington - and has begun training for the 2012 Olympics under the watchful eye of his coach, Bob Bowman.
January 12, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps back in China to boost carmaker
The global economic slump has affected China's car market. But Mazda is counting on swimming phenom Michael Phelps to rev up the carmaker's bottom line.
January 5, 2009
Sports Digest: Phelps reaches deal to pitch cars in China
Months after winning a record eight Olympic gold medals in China, swimmer Michael Phelps has reached an agreement to make the Baltimore resident the brand spokesman for carmaker Mazda in China.
January 2, 2009
Sports Digest: Bolt edges Phelps to win international media honor
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt outpolled swimmer Michael Phelps of Rodgers Forge in a vote for the 2008 Athlete of the Year by the international media.
January 1, 2009
Rick Maese: A place on the mantel
The kid was at the top of the arc, sinking three-pointer after three-pointer. But it was the look on his face that sticks with me.
January 1, 2009
Michael Phelps vs. Gloria Estefan
He smashes records. He brings home more gold than any other Olympic athlete in history. He triggers global swoons every time he slips off his shirt. Michael Phelps not only hails from Baltimore, he also dolphin-kicked right back here after Beijing to buy a home even when he could have lived anywhere. As if that weren't enough, he's single-handedly helping local restaurants survive the recession with his famous sumo-worthy meals.
December 23, 2008
Accolades keep coming for Phelps
Michael Phelps had just finished his work at the Water Cube, still wet but his place in history secure, when he walked up to his longtime coach.
December 16, 2008
Phelps plans to dive into video game world
Following in the footsteps of John Madden and Tiger Woods, Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps wants to start his own video game empire. But curiously enough, swimming might not be the main event.
December 8, 2008
The Flip Side: Let Phelps have fun, Beard says
Go easy on Michael Phelps. That's the message from fellow Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard.
December 7, 2008
Laura Vozzella: Michael Phelps brings new look to 'America's family'
To readers wondering why I was so surprised that Michael Phelps brought a Vegas cocktail waitress who shows lots of skin on the Web home to Mom on Thanksgiving, allow me to explain.
December 3, 2008
Phelps joins pool of SI Sportsmen of Year
Even though Michael Phelps is taking a break from the pool, he's still picking up honors.
December 3, 2008
Faceoff: Which Sportsman of the Year was more deserving, Phelps ('08) or Ripken ('95)?
Phelps beat the world
December 2, 2008
Focus on Phelps, again
Over the years, Michael Phelps has mastered the art of playing coy.
November 29, 2008
Peter Schmuck: Even as SI muddies waters, Phelps' prize clearly visible
In the interest of building some modicum of suspense, the people at Sports Illustrated have assembled a large group of candidates for the magazine's Sportsman of the Year award, which will be announced Tuesday.
November 18, 2008
USA Swimming honors Phelps; Bowman repeats as Coach of Year
Michael Phelps was named Athlete of the Year last night by USA Swimming at the annual Golden Goggle Awards, which recognize outstanding achievement in the pool for American athletes.
November 17, 2008
Switching coaches, Hoff will work with Bowman
Olympic swimmer Katie Hoff confirmed last night that she has decided to change coaches, saying she'll be working exclusively with Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps' coach.
November 8, 2008
A role cemented at Meadowbrook
Murray Stephens likes to joke that it took his own blood to help build the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center.
November 7, 2008
Sun exclusive
For Phelps, a new pool venture
Olympian Michael Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, hoping to replicate their athletic success in the world of business, will announce a partnership today aimed at transforming the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Mount Washington into a world-class training facility.
October 18, 2008
Ideas floated; Phelps wades in
Though his celebratory parade in Towson represented a finale to Michael Phelps' post-Olympic blitz of public appearances, the swimmer is just beginning his quest to become an enduring marketing force.
October 5, 2008
Hometown hero
With cascades of shrieks and the pounding of oh-so-many teenage feet, they heralded his coming. At the center of the herd, rolling down York Road, was a National Guard Humvee with a lanky young man waving from its open roof.
October 5, 2008
Rick Maese: Phelps secures rare place in city's heart, sports lore
Over the course of 17 races in 1 1/2 weeks, they celebrated Michael Phelps from the privacy of their homes, their excited voices careening off living room walls, waking up neighbors and stopping nearby traffic. But for the most part, the cheers and screams faded somewhere between Baltimore and Beijing.
October 4, 2008
Out of pool, Phelps stays in his lane
It's unlikely you'll see Michael Phelps peel off his shirt, lean out of his open-top Hummer and fling it into the parade crowd today.
October 1, 2008
Sports Digest: Performers announced for Phelps celebration
Organizers of a celebration honoring swimmer Michael Phelps say the Naval Academy Concert Band, the Morgan State University Choir and local bands will perform at the event this weekend. The celebration is planned for Saturday at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Organizers announced that the local bands include big-band funk orchestra Chopteeth, a cappella group Reverb and The Players Band, a ska group formed in Baltimore. Access Hollywood's Billy Bush will host the event. Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, will be honored with a parade in Towson before the evening program. The events will also pay tribute to two other Maryland swimmers: Olympian Katie Hoff and Paralympic champion Jessica Long.
October 1, 2008
Laura Vozzella: Just get them to the church on time
Florist? Check. Photographer? Check. Police traffic coordinator? Double check.
September 26, 2008
Phelps' worldwide splash
He has traveled to so many cities and countries since the Olympics ended, when he wakes up in the morning, it's almost impossible for Michael Phelps to remember the date, or even what day it is.
September 26, 2008
Laura Vozzella: Come back, kid, when you can show ID
With Michael Phelps' face plastered on the cover of Sports Illustrated and boxes of Frosted Flakes, you've got to wonder: Did he lose the chance to live a normal life when he won all that Olympic glory?
September 24, 2008
Towson prepares for crowds along Phelps parade route
It's beginning to sound like a military operation, complete with maps, complex logistics, moving machinery and marchers in uniform.
September 15, 2008
Under hot 'SNL' lights, Phelps plays it cool
It's very late at 30 Rockefeller Center, where it's been dark for hours, the stores long closed. Yet tourists and determined sightseers crowd the entrance, slog into an impossibly long but ever-growing line or just huddle around, camera phones on standby.
September 15, 2008
The Flip Side: On SNL, in a bit over his head
Say this much for Michael Phelps: At least he didn't fall down. Baltimore's swimming superstar didn't exactly add a ninth gold medal for his Saturday Night Live performance. Here are a few reviews:
September 13, 2008
Sports Digest: Phelps to auction items for charity
Michael Phelps' golden stroke - this time with a pen - will help raise money for charity. Autographed photos, USA swim caps and Sports Illustrated covers are among the collectibles in Phelps' one-year deal with Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia. Phelps, a Rodgers Forge native, said he wants to offer fans the chance to own keepsakes from the Beijing Games, where he delivered the greatest performance in Olympic history. He recently started his own charity, committing $1 million he earned from Speedo for his record eight gold medals at the Olympics.
September 11, 2008
For Olympian, a new life
He has walked down the red carpet with Kid Rock, been a presenter at the MTV Video Music Awards, filmed a skit with Jimmy Kimmel, been asked for autographs by celebrities, been a guest on Jay Leno's show, served as honorary bell ringer at the New York Stock Exchange and is rehearsing for his role as this week's host of Saturday Night Live.
September 10, 2008
Towson parade to honor Phelps, fellow Olympians
Eleven Olympic athletes with Maryland ties - foremost among them Michael Phelps - are being invited to take part next month in a parade in their honor in Towson, followed by a salute at Fort McHenry that will be capped off with fireworks.
September 9, 2008
Celebration slated Oct. 4 for Olympian Phelps
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps will be officially welcomed back to his hometown of Towson with a parade Oct. 4, a source close to the event's planning said yesterday. A second celebration will likely take place the same day in Baltimore. Details of the day's festivities in honor of Phelps and other Maryland Olympians are to be revealed today during a noon news conference attended by Gov. Martin O'Malley, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and James T. Smith Jr., Baltimore County's chief executive. A media advisory issued yesterday by the county's communications office made a point of mentioning that Phelps will not be attending today's news conference at Towson High School, although his mother, Debbie Phelps, is scheduled to be there. The record-shattering 24-year-old swimmer grew up in the Towson neighborhood of Rodgers Forge.
September 5, 2008
Phelps in the fast lane
This is what 24 hours in the life of Michael Phelps look like these days:
September 4, 2008
Phelps a winner on 'Oprah'
Before Michael Phelps could finally return home to Baltimore, the Olympian needed to visit a fan in Chicago.
September 3, 2008
Phelps to donate $1M bonus
Michael Phelps has long yearned to attract more kids to swimming and to teach them about the pursuit of dreams, using his own life as the textbook.
August 30, 2008
Catching up with Phelps much easier on land
There was a big personality waiting to leap out of Michael Phelps. He was just waiting for someone to ask the right questions after he waved to a crowd of fans in a celebratory parade hosted by Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom yesterday.
August 28, 2008
Swimmer Phelps to host SNL opener
Olympic star will try his hand at late-night comedy
August 24, 2008
A hero's welcome, a new life in fame
The life Michael Phelps returns to in Baltimore won't be like the one he left
August 24, 2008
Laura Vozzella: If you live near Michael Phelps, don't answer the phone
How's this for gold-medal motivation? On July 31, just days before he headed to Beijing, Michael Phelps shelled out $36,538.46 for property taxes on his $1.7 million Fells Point townhouse.
August 24, 2008
Rick Maese: Dreaming for all of us
His arms are long enough to wrap around a Buick. His hands are as big as baseball mitts, and those feet would fit snugly in clown shoes. While his shoulders are broad, his lean frame would slide into a crack in the wall. In the afternoon, the sun casts a geometric shadow that's all sharp angles and long lines. It's easy to see that Michael Phelps is an amazing swimmer. He looks the part in every way possible.
August 24, 2008
1 day, 2 golds
Fourth gold: 200 fly -- Aug. 13; Fifth gold: 800 free relay -- Aug. 13
August 22, 2008
Ray Frager: Riding wave of interest in Phelps
Looking through the sports media notebook while wondering when The Sun's Beijing correspondents are going to get an interview with General Tso:
August 21, 2008
Phelps trading cards, memorabilia bring high prices
Michael Phelps' remarkable Beijing performance will certainly bring riches his way, but it is also putting money in the pockets of collectors who snapped up Phelps memorabilia before the Olympics.
August 20, 2008
Companies vie to hand Phelps money
Swimmer's star is high, but future fame uncertain
August 20, 2008
Phelps' pool plans uncertain
Michael Phelps has backed away from a previous comment he made about purchasing a pool in Baltimore, saying at a news conference yesterday that he's not sure of his plans.
August 19, 2008
Now Phelps tackles fame
Swimmer adjusting to rush of media, fan attention after record-setting Games
August 19, 2008
Phelps and his 700,000 friends
Yes, Michael Phelps has been called a rock star. But online - at least on Facebook - the Rodgers Forge swimmer is actually much bigger than that.
August 18, 2008
Phelps to rest, reinvent
After a break, shorter events might dot star's path to gold in 2012, coaches say
August 18, 2008
Rick Maese: Phelps should just keep going
When London calls, swimmer will have answer
August 18, 2008
Bush praises Phelps in and out of pool
President Bush praised Olympic champion Michael Phelps yesterday for his performance in the swimming pool and outside it.
1:50 AM EDT, August 17, 2008
Phelps completes historic quest
Rodgers Forge native wins 8th gold of Beijing Games in medley relay, breaking Spitz's 36-year-old record; 'Every day it seems like I'm in sort of a dream world'
August 17, 2008
Only race left for Phelps is against other sports legends
Michael Phelps has left us only with questions of history.
August 17, 2008
Rick Maese: Phelps cements place as greatest
A frenzy of golden energy, Michael Phelps exited the pool, shaking water off his lithe and lean body. Onto the pool deck splashed the droplets - those Baltimore roots, the memories from Greece and the immaculate show he'd just put on in China.
12:19 AM EDT, August 17, 2008
Phelps' eight golds, race by race
It's been quite a ride. Michael Phelps has been bold. He's been dominating. He's been lucky. And he's even been mortal when his goggles filled with water like an age-group swimmer. The second gold, a teammate assisted, saving the day. The seventh gold, give an assist to the Omega timing touchpad. (By the way, Omega is one of his sponsors.) But in the end, with Sunday morning's win, he became the first swimmer to win eight gold medals in the same Olympics. Here's a look back at how he did it.
1:06 AM EDT, August 16, 2008
Phelps rallies, makes history by a hair
Swimmer's victory by a hundredth of a second puts him within one win of a record 8 gold medals
August 16, 2008
Phelps never bigger; test of time looms
He and Spitz set 7-goal standard but in varied way
August 16, 2008
Rick Maese: Good to the last drop
He shows great wall of own to out-touch foe for gold No. 7
August 16, 2008
Spitz relates to Phelps 36 years after feat
They are both tied to the number seven, as in medals. They both swam six of the same events and set world records in all of them. They were both the talk of the sporting world.
August 16, 2008
Rick Maese: Teen, Olympians cheer each other on
The day the Olympics began, before the Opening Ceremony fireworks exploded, before the giant torch lit up the night sky and before Michael Phelps began blowing up world records right and left, 6,800 miles away, Emily Long sat down at her laptop and filed her dispatch.
12:58 AM EDT, August 15, 2008
6th gold for Phelps
Swimming phenomenon sets 6th world record in as many events
August 15, 2008
Golden quirks
Think you know everything about Phelps? Here are eight of his lesser-known traits
August 14, 2008
Where only swimmers' best will do
For Murray Stephens and the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, effort is everything
August 14, 2008
Rick Maese: Phelps' home schooling
Swimmer has earned the glory, but sisters showed him the way
August 14, 2008
Baltimore TV soaks up the Phelps-Hoff splash
The hometown crowd is watching Michael Phelps and his unprecedented Olympics success in near-record numbers, making Baltimore the highest-rated TV market for this year's Games and helping WBAL, Channel 11, absolutely trounce the prime-time competition since Friday night's opening ceremonies.
2:18 AM EDT, August 13, 2008
Phelps stands alone in Olympic history
Swimmer wins two more races, sets mark with 11 career gold medals; he stays on track to break Spitz's record for single Games
1:51 AM EDT, August 12, 2008
Phelps wins 200 free, now 3-for-3
Swimmer stays perfect in Beijing with third victory, third world record, tying Olympic mark with ninth career gold medal
6:54 AM EDT, August 11, 2008
Phelps' Olympic quest on track
U.S. team comes from behind for dramatic win in 400 freestyle relay; Hoff wins silver medal in 400 freestyle
August 10, 2008
Phelps' shining win
Olympian grasps his first gold of the Games, breaks his old world record
August 10, 2008
Rick Maese: A record start for Phelps
The race for history started this way: the lean swimmer stretching on the block and channeling adrenaline, his icy stare directed solely at the pool. His sights were not set on eight gold medals. For today, for this race, one would be enough.
August 5, 2008
Phelps low-key on arrival to China
Michael Phelps sneaked into Beijing almost unnoticed. He's unlikely to go out that way.
August 3, 2008
Phelps' voyage
From Rodgers Forge to the brink of Beijing, the swimmer hasn't always been on cruise control
August 1, 2008
Rick Maese: Phelps homeward bound
It was raining outside when her youngest left the nest.
July 28, 2008
Rally to honor Phelps and Hoff
A rally will be held at 7:15 p.m. Friday in downtown Towson to honor Baltimore County residents Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, who are in Beijing to compete on the U.S. Olympic swim team.
July 7, 2008
Competitive drive fuels Phelps, Hoff
For local Olympic swimmers, heartfelt hopes become big realities
July 6, 2008
Phelps, Hoff up to the challenge
Rivals no match for the local swimmers at U.S. Olympic trials
July 6, 2008
Rick Maese: Spitz sees Phelps within striking distance
And now the race is on. They've leapt from the starting blocks. In one lane, expectations. In another, hope. And in a third, speculation.
July 5, 2008
Phelps in a world of his own
Rodgers Forge swimmer nips Lochte, sets mark in 200-meter individual medley
July 5, 2008
Rick Maese: Olympics will shine Phelps-like spotlight on Hoff
In the universe of hypotheticals, the most popular impossibility buzzing around the pool is this:
July 4, 2008
U.S. Olympic Trials
Few are multitasking at U.S. Olympic trials
Phelps, Hoff in multiple events, but not many follow their example
July 3, 2008
Hoff races to finish; Phelps wins 200M butterfly
In the eyes of the world, Katie Hoff has always been a great swimmer. That was obvious, even when she was 14 years old.
July 2, 2008
U.S. Olympic Trials
Phelps free and easy
Shortly after Michael Phelps finished the 200-meter freestyle last night, Mark Schubert, the venerable coach of the U.S. swim team, walked down onto the pool deck inside Qwest Center and threw an arm around the Rodgers Forge native.
June 30, 2008
Opening record for Phelps
Throughout Michael Phelps' amazing swimming career, only a handful of men have had the courage, the conditioning and the competitive moxie to race him in the 400-meter individual medley and match him stroke for stroke.
June 29, 2008
A sea change for swimming
As a young man, Michael Phelps dreamed of the day he would, in his words, change the sport of swimming in America.
June 28, 2008
Olympic Trials
A freestyle attitude for Phelps at trials
Michael Phelps isn't shy about how much he loves to play poker. He plays it with friends, plays it in casinos with strangers, and sometimes plays it online, late at night.
June 19, 2008
Phelps, Hoff have busy trials schedules
In the competitive run-up to the U.S. Olympic swimming team trials, Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff carried a heavy workload.
June 8, 2008
Phelps' game plan simplifies winning
Before his second race of the day, the 100-meter backstroke, Michael Phelps got succinct advice from his coach: Be first.
June 7, 2008
Swimming
Phelps, Hoff warm up for trials
The pieces of Katie Hoff's aquatic Chinese puzzle are beginning to come together. One stroke strengthens another. Distances seem to shrink. A skill honed gets her closer to her goal: the starting blocks in Beijing.
June 6, 2008
Hoff, Phelps aim to relax
With about three weeks to go before the competition to determine the U.S. Olympic swimming team, elite athletes like Katie Hoff and Michael Phelps don't have to turn heads at the final Grand Prix meet this weekend.
May 19, 2008
Sports Digest: Phelps tops Peirsol in 100 back, caps big meet
Michael Phelps of Rodgers Forge ended his drought against Aaron Peirsol and is ready to start turning his attention toward the U.S. Olympic trials.
May 11, 2008
Swimming
Phelps returns to attend NBAC fundraiser
Michael Phelps showed up at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center last night and climbed into the pool.
April 30, 2008
Beijing Olympics: 100 Days To Go
No excuses as Phelps prepares for Beijing
In one corner of the Donald B. Canham Natatorium, a massive brick building on the University of Michigan campus that houses a 50-meter pool, there is a tiny clock with glowing red numbers.
April 18, 2008
Bowman coming back - so is Phelps
Michael Phelps has always said he'd be willing to follow his coach, Bob Bowman, just about anywhere. After the Beijing Olympics, it looks as if Phelps will be following him right back to Baltimore.
April 13, 2008
Swimming
FINA reaffirms its approval of controversial Speedo suit
The great swimsuit competition pitting Speedo against other high-end manufacturers is over.
April 7, 2008
Swimming: Toyota Grand Prix
Hoff wins 2 more in prep for Olympic trials
In the span of 42 minutes last night, Towson's Katie Hoff won two gold medals and a silver at the Toyota Grand Prix competition.
April 6, 2008
Phelps wins 400 IM at Ohio State Grand Prix
When Katie Hoff finished the 400-meter individual medley last night, everyone assumed she just had set a U.S. Open record. It was announced over the public address system at the Ohio State Grand Prix, the crowd roared, and a representative from USA Swimming tried to congratulate her.
April 5, 2008
Ohio State Grand Prix
Phelps 1-for-3, Hoff wins 2; both shrug
Michael Phelps likes wearing his Detroit Tigers hat sideways, and sometimes backward.
April 4, 2008
Swimsuit Saga
Speedo's strong suit
With most of the nation's best swimmers scheduled to compete at the Toyota Grand Prix here this weekend, record-breaking performances might take a back seat to the swimsuit competition.
February 19, 2008
Phelps troubled by 400 IM
Michael Phelps didn't sleep well this past week at the Missouri Grand Prix. And he couldn't figure out why.
February 18, 2008
Missouri Grand Prix
Hoff makes her mark
Katie Hoff took two more gold medals yesterday at the Missouri Grand Prix and $20 from Michael Phelps.
February 17, 2008
Laura Vozzella: Maybe it's for the XXX Games
Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff aren't just showing off their swimming in Missouri. They're showing off their new Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits. And that means they're showing off their birthday suits, too.
February 17, 2008
No pain is gain for Phelps
Michael Phelps climbed out of the pool yesterday after swimming the 200-meter butterfly and waggled his right wrist. As he looked over his split times with Jon Urbanchek, one of his coaches at Club Wolverine, Phelps smiled, then shrugged.
February 16, 2008
Missouri Grand Prix Meet
A matter of time
Michael Phelps readily concedes that he's not much of a morning person.
February 15, 2008
Swimming Missouri Grand Prix
Setting a course for Beijing
A year ago, swimmer Michael Phelps showed up in Columbia, Mo., for the Missouri Grand Prix with low expectations. He did not have history on his mind.
February 8, 2008
On swimmer Philip Scholz
Rick Maese: Loyola athlete charting course for Paralympics
There's just something about the water in Baltimore. Maybe you knew that already, but it's worth repeating. The water here, it enables you to do almost anything. Michael Phelps sprang from these waters. Katie Hoff, too. But the swimming story I hope we'll all be able to appreciate this summer is Philip Scholz's quest to represent the United States in the Paralympics.
January 22, 2008
Phelps goes 2-for-3, with improved times
Michael Phelps went 2-for-3 in consecutive events at the Southern California Grand Prix last night, swimming faster times in each than he did a year ago.
January 21, 2008
Phelps shy of record in 400 IM victory
Michael Phelps cruised to an 8.68-second victory in the 400-yard individual medley at the Southern California Grand Prix meet last night, flirting with his American record before falling off the pace.
January 20, 2008
Swimming
Phelps wins twice at Grand Prix
Michael Phelps opened the Olympic year with two victories at the Southern California Grand Prix, swimming his best times in the 100- and 500-yard freestyles last night.
December 2, 2007
Swimming
Phelps first in 100 free
Michael Phelps won the 100-yard freestyle for his second individual victory at the U.S. short-course national championships.
November 30, 2007
Swimming
Lochte tops Phelps in IM
Ryan Lochte beat Michael Phelps by 1.24 seconds with an American-record time in the latest renewal of their rivalry on the opening night of the U.S. short-course national championships yesterday.
November 29, 2007
Swimming
Phelps returns to racing today
Michael Phelps will hit the water today at the U.S. short-course national championships, testing his surgically repaired right wrist for the first time in competition since he hurt himself getting into a car in October.
November 20, 2007
Swimming
Phelps, Hoff honored as best U.S. swimmers
Michael Phelps won a leading three Golden Goggles awards, including Male Athlete of the Year, on Sunday night when USA Swimming honored the year's top American performers.
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