Michael Phelps, arguably the best Olympian of all time, retired from swimming shortly after his appearance at the last summer Olympics in London. His retirement however didn’t keep him away from the pool.Michael Phelps’ former coach Bob Bowman commented saying “he’s training really consistently five times a week. That’s maybe half what he’s done before.” It’s true Phelps isn’t in the same shape that we all saw him in during the Olympics but it looks like with more intense training he could be right back into it.
There are now reports that Phelps is indeed planning on swimming in the Arena Grand Prix at Mesa, Ariz., on April 24-26. It will be his first meet since retirement and once it’s over people will make their judgments on whether or not he’s capable of performing in the next Olympics. As of Phelps’ plan, his coach has provided that he has also been entered in Grand Prix meets in Charlotte, N.C., (May 15-18) and Santa Clara, Calif., (June 19-22), with intense training scheduled in between. The coach and swimmer will take decide the summer schedule after this first meet before making any firm decisions about what is next.
Phelps will not be the only one at the Mesa Grand Prix, fellow American Ryan Lochte is entered as well as Katy Ledecky. Several other Olympic gold medalists are have signed up as well.
If the race doesn’t go Phelps’ way, there is still more than two years until the U.S. Olympic Trials that will select the team for Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Phelps has plenty of time to boost up his training. He is expected to compete in less events, deciding only a few that he’d like to focus on. Whether or not Phelps is prepared, it’s a big deal to the swimming community and you can bet that there will be a large fanbase behind him looking to see the best swimmer in history compete some more.