AUSTIN (KXAN) - Michael Phelps wanted to have a busy weekend of swimming at the Austin Grand Prix meet and he got his wish. The 14-time Olympic gold medalist competed in six events during the three-day meet, capped off by a victory over rival Ryan Lochte in the 200-Meter Individual Medley on Sunday evening.
Phelps not only won the event, but with a time of 1:58:52 -- a bit of a surprise considering he was hoping to swim it in around 2:00. Phelps wanted to swim the high number of events to begin his preparation for the Olympic trials and then the Olympic games in London which begin on July 27.
"I have always done a lot of events back to back-to-back," Phelps said after his final race. "Doing that, your body is put under a lot of stress, and it's a lot of pain. If I can do that right now and swim seven or eight races in three days, with prelims, semifinals, and finals at the end of the year, we'll know that I'm ready to do that."
This is also a farewell tour of sorts for Phelps. With his plans to call it quits after the London games, it means that he is visiting a number of swimming venues for the final time.
"I think all the memories are really hitting me. It's going to be strange, but it's fun. I've had a great career and this pool has definitely meant a lot to me," Phelps said. The Lee and Joe Jamail Swim Center was the pool where Phelps set his first ever world record back in 2001.