Thorpe backs Phelps to ‘make history’ in Rio

Thorpe is Australia’s most successful Olympian with five gold medals, including three at the Sydney 2000 Games.

“But I would have to say from a personal standpoint, it’s very concerning to me that our governing bodies have dropped the ball in many ways on this”. He was elected by his team-mates, a delegation of 556 athletes and the largest at the Olympic Games. Or maybe it doesn’t matter.

“As a kid, you’re like, ‘Yeah, it would be pretty sweet to be able to carry the flag,”‘ Phelps said, beaming. “I don’t think we’re here to make up for any disappointment”, he said.

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic medallist of all time, questioned on Wednesday whether he had ever swum in a “clean” sport as he prepared for a Rio Games overshadowed by the Russian doping scandal. Ralph Lauren has come up with an ensemble for the US team that provides the flag bearer with an extra touch of flash – a jacket in which the letters “USA” light up across the back. And Team USA is going big this year.

There was heartbreak in the 200m fly, the event where he first emerged as a force, as he finished second to South African Chad le Clos. “I wanted swimming to be something that I loved, something that I was motivated to do for myself”, he told Sports Illustrated.

“I can’t wait to see him make history again at these Games”.

Phelps said he was retiring in London only to return to the sport a year later.

Ledecky is nearly guaranteed to be the closest thing to a Phelps – except Phelps himself – at the Rio Games. He registered a blood alcohol level of 0.14, almost double the legal limit in Maryland.

Dressel is a straight-up sprint swimmer, although lacking in Phelps’ diverse range of events in which to win medals. He was suspended from all competitions for six months by USA Swimming and prohibited from competing in the 2015 World Championships. Out of water and away from his stellar career, he has recently become a father to his son, Boomer, with fiancée Nicole Johnson. “I probably shed a little bit of tears, just of joy”. I think that’s the easiest way of putting it.

“I do know that the coaching staff will put out the four fastest guys, whoever that is”, Phelps is quoted by NBC. “This has been the greatest two years of my life for a lot of reasons”.

“I’m having fun again”, Phelps said. There are so many days where it was kind of pulling hair and we’re trading blows with one another and kind of upset one another. For Beijing, I wanted to do something nobody else had done.

Phelps arrives in Rio the most transformative Olympian of his, or maybe, any generation.

Longtime rival Ryan Lochte said he believes Phelps will swim in Tokyo in 2020. “I’m saying he’s going to come back”.