Phelps answers Le Clos’ taunts with faster time in 100 fly

Then he pounded the water defiantly – first with one hand, then with both.

Le Clos won the silver medal in the 100m fly at the 2012 Olympics.

A tantalizing rivalry at pool is unfolding with the 2016 Summer Games just a year away as Michael Phelps and Chad le Clos duel from afar, spiced up by the South African’s willingness to send a few verbal jabs at the winningest athlete in Olympic history. It might have been ok to win at this yr’s world championships in Kazan, Russia, the place Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh took the title in 1:53.48. If you want to do it, go for it. I welcome it. I smile at some and get serious at other comments.

Phelps is competing at nationals instead of World Championships as part of his penalty for a drunk driving offense last fall.

It was the midnight in Russian Federation when he completed, however the time was positive to ship loads of ripples midway around the globe by Saturday morning.

LeClos, after his victory, trash-talked Phelps, who declined to get involved in a slanging match when asked about the comments in a poolside interview.

Maybe one day theyll learn.

“I’m just happy that I got to show everybody that it didn’t make a difference if I lost the win in the 200m fly – I was going to come back strong”. Phelps easily beat runner-up Jack Conger, who finished in 51.33, while David Nolan was third in 52.15.

“State the facts” “I don’t do it to talk trash”, Phelps said.

Phelps’s finish is the fastest in the world this year in the 200-meter butterfly and sets him directly on a path to compete in Rio next year.

Phelps responded with his fastest 100 fly ever in a textile suit. That’s two pretty good swims in the 100 and 200.

Before the race, Phelps wasn’t his usual stoic self.

Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, said his swimmer will undoubtedly take note of everything Le Clos says. “I think that’s the big thing about me in my everyday life”.

“It’s been a long, hard road to get here”, Bowman said. “I don’t care about his times, because I know my son is going to beat him”. He has enrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous and vowed not to drink any alcohol at least through the Rio Olympics. Exactly how much progress Phelps was making in his comeback was a bit of a mystery coming into the US meet, thanks to the suspension he served for the DUI and the fact that he hadn’t tapered his training to produce his fastest times in any meeting this year.

Once he completed therapy and had his legal issues resolved, Phelps threw himself totally into training.

Phelps was looking to best Le Clos’ time when he competing in the final of the 100 fly on a sweltering Saturday evening in south Texas.