Phelps has a ‘blah’ 100 fly prelim after brilliant 200 fly

Phelps, who was barred by U.S. Swimming from competing at the ongoing world championships in Russian Federation after a drink-driving arrest last year, clocked one minute, 52.94 seconds to clinch the U.S. title in San Antonio.

“Nevertheless quick Michael goes, we go quicker. I’m serious”, Bert Le Clos told The Associated Press in Kazan. “It’s good to do it on my own shore in the country that I represent”. That was close to probably my best 200 fly ever. “Im going to let what I do in the pool do my talking.”.

All of that is establishing a tantalizing rivalry for Rio, which truly began when Le Clos surprised Phelps to seize gold within the 200 fly on the London Olympics.

Since coming out of retirement in early 2014, Phelps had struggled to get back to where he was at the height of his career.

South Africa’s gold medal victor Chad Le Clos celebrates after winning the men’s 100m butter …

His time would have been third-fastest of the qualifying heats at the FINA world championships in Kazan, Russian Federation – the measuring stick for Phelps’ performances in San Antonio.

Asked his goal for the 100 fly final, he pointed to Le Clos’ winning time in Kazan.

Phelps shot back, pointing out that Le Clos actually had the faster time on his first lap of the 100 fly.

– He has now. The final of the 100 fly is to be held within an hour of his preliminary race in San Antonio.

“I guess I was out a little slow”, Phelps said. “It isn’t rocket science”.

He planned to go a lot faster in the evening – and he’s got a time to beat.

Two down, with exclusively the 200 particular person medley left on Sunday. “I haven’t been that fast in a really long time”. “A lot can happen in a year. I have to be able to balance the energy a little bit better than I did”. “That’s all I can do”. He has left no doubt that he is pleased to be in San Antonio and not at the World Championships in Russian Federation.

“Anything is possible if you do want something bad enough”, he said. “And you never really know if you’re going to get back to that level – that’s the real level”.

“He’s a motivation machine”, Bowman said of Phelps.

“It felt like a normal swimming swim”, said Phelps, who shaved down after growing a beard the last three months.

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Kazan, Russia, contributed to this report. Looking strong and in control, he posted the fastest time of the year in the world to date (50.45) to claim the title over silver medalist Jack Conger (51.33). 6, Connor Black, Mundelein, Ill., 52.61. 8, Braxston Timm, Britain, 53.38. The other top seeds are Amy Bilquist, Amanda Kendall, Kelsi Worrell, Amanda Weir and Katie Meili.

In other action, Katie Meili prevailed in the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.55, with Lilly King touching in 1:06.69 for second place. Following her is 2nd seed Emma Reaney (1:06.74), 3rd seed Lilly King (1:06.93) and Australia’s Jessica Hansen in 4th (1:07.48).