| Is Michael Phelps trying to make himself into a sprinter | | | | medals. |
| in preparation for the 2012 Olympics? He may just be | | | | On Saturday, Phelps held off a late charge by |
| doing so. | | | | Canada’s Ryan Cochrane to win the 400-meter |
| Phelps qualified for the finals in both the100-meter | | | | freestyle, an event he had not competed in since |
| freestyle and 100-metetr backstroke at the Santa | | | | 2005. |
| Clara International Grand Prix? | | | | Cochran, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the |
| His time in the freestyle event was 50.07 seconds, | | | | 1500-metetr freestyle, pushed Phelps over the final 100 |
| placing him as the seventh seed in the finals. He is only | | | | meters, but Phelps held on for the win. Phelps also |
| .73 second behind the top qualifier; Canada’s Brent | | | | won the 200-metetr butterfly on Friday. |
| Hayden. | | | | Controversy has followed Phelps since his eight gold |
| In the 100-metetr backstroke, he goes into the finals | | | | medals in Beijing. Photos surfaced earlier this year |
| with the fourth fastest time (55.46). Fellow Olympian | | | | showing him inhaling from a marijuana pipe. He was |
| Matt Grevers has the top preliminary time (:55.15) in the | | | | suspended from competition by USA Swimming this |
| finals. | | | | past February. He returned to competition last month |
| Phelps is not known as a sprinter, but may attempt to | | | | at the Charlotte UltraSwim. |
| make the 2012 Olympic team in the sprint events. He | | | | In Charlotte, he won both the 200-meter freestyle |
| has stated previously he would not attempt to swim | | | | (1:46.02) and 100-meter butterfly (:51.72) while taking |
| eight events in London. Opting to chance his events list | | | | second place in the 100-meter backstroke. |
| may make for a better chance of multiple Olympic | | | | |