PHELPS TAKES FIRST STEPS TOWARD OLYMPIC GOLD
With an exhausting program that will see him swim nine individual events over eight days of cut-throat competition in Omaha, the 22-year-old phenomenon will be under tremendous pressure.
While Phelps is recognized as one of swimming�s all-time greats, and in many respects has already become a poster-boy for the Beijing Games, his prowess means little under the ruthless U.S. qualifying system.
The trials, which begin on Sunday, have a �win and you�re in� criteria which means that Phelps cannot afford to make any wrong moves.
Reputations and past performance will count for nothing in Omaha, where the top two finishers in each event will qualify for Beijing.
�You just can�t discount people coming out of the woodwork,� Mark Schubert, head coach and general manager of the U.S. swim team told a teleconference ahead of the trials.
�It is going to happen at the trials and it is certainly going to happen at the Games and he (Phelps) needs to be prepared to swim better than he has ever swum before to accomplish the goal that he has stated he wants to accomplish.
�Michael is going to have to take it one challenge at a time.�
Winner of six gold medals at the Athens Olympics, Phelps is scheduled to swim the 100, 200 and 400 meters freestyle, the 200 and 400 individual medley, the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 100 and 200 butterfly at the Qwest Centre pool.
FIERCE COMPETITION
Schubert said he would be surprised if Phelps saw all nine events through to the finals.
�Over the eight days I don�t know if Michael wouldn�t get bored if he doesn�t swim a lot of events,� said Schubert. �I don�t know if he will go ahead with all of them but I think he will go ahead with many of them at least through the prelims.
�I think you�ll see him become more selective through the semis and I think in the finals you will see him swim in the events he expects to swim in Beijing.�
The competition is expected to be fierce in Omaha with Schubert predicting third place finishers in some events will produce efforts good enough to medal in Beijing but not good enough to get them there.
The men�s 200 meter backstroke will include reigning Olympic champion and former-world record holder Aaron Peirsol, current world champion and record holder Ryan Lochte and Phelps. Only two will qualify for Beijing.
That crucible of competition is expected to produce a battle-hardened squad that many predict could be the greatest in any Olympics, eclipsing the U.S. men�s team that swept 12 of the 13 gold medals on offer at the 1976 Montreal Summer Games
�I think the 76 men�s Olympic team was without a doubt the greatest men�s Olympic team in history and I think the 08 team, if they want to be the best team they will have to earn it,� said Schubert. �It is going to be a huge challenge.
�Do I think they have the potential? I do. But I would not say this is the greatest team in history until they do.�
(Writing by Steve Keating in Grand Blanc, Michigan, editing by Alan Baldwin and Padraic Halpin)
