Al-Khateeb: Rate of Foreign tourists coming for recreational purposes soars 600% in 5 years    Saudi Arabia participates in OIC anti-corruption agencies' meeting in Qatar    Saudi Arabia implements over 800 reforms to drive rapid transformation    Al-Jadaan: Painful decisions were part of the reforms, but economy overcame them    Al-Swaha: Saudi Arabia is heading towards exporting technology in the next phase    Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire appears to hold as Lebanese begin streaming back to their homes    Al Rajhi: Saudi Arabia sets revised unemployment target of 5% by 2030 "300,000 citizens employed in qualitative professions"    Imran Khan supporters call off protest after crackdown    Five survivors found day after Red Sea tourist boat sinking    Russia launched a record number of almost 200 drones toward Ukraine    Al Hilal advances to AFC Champions League knockout stage despite 1-1 draw with Al Sadd    Saudi Arabia unveils updates on Expo 2030 Riyadh master plan at 175th BIE General Assembly Riyadh Expo Development Company established to oversee strategic planning, operations, and legacy development    Saudi FM attends Quadripartite meeting on Sudan in Italy    Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies    Cristiano Ronaldo's double powers Al Nassr to 3-1 win over Al Gharafa in AFC Champions League    Al Ahli edges Al Ain 2-1, bolsters perfect start in AFC Champions League Elite    Most decorated Australian Olympian McKeon retires    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    'Pregnant' for 15 months: Inside the 'miracle' pregnancy scam    Do cigarettes belong in a museum?    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Phelps still the big fish in the pool
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 03 - 08 - 2016

LONDON — Greatness can be hard to define but two words suffice for Olympic swimming — Michael Phelps.
Despite a global cast of world record holders, champions and swim sensations preparing to light up the Rio pool, the greatest of all time will again be the centre of attention at his farewell Games.
Phelps, who retired in 2012 before a rethink, may not win the most medals but his fifth Olympics are about more than that.
"I came back because I wanted to," he said at the US trials. "I wanted to do this for me."
The 31-year-old has three individual events (100 meters butterfly, 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley) plus relays with a younger-looking US team that has rung some changes since London.
However big the splash he makes, Phelps is ratings gold as he seeks to add to his record haul of 18 Olympic titles and 22 medals in total.
Winner of the 100 butterfly and 200IM at the past three Olympics, Phelps can become the first swimmer to win the same individual event at four Games in a row.
He is not the oldest US swimmer in Rio, however, with former bad boy and 2000 gold medalist Anthony Ervin back at 35. Ryan Lochte, 31 and an 11 times medalist, will be at his fourth Games. If anyone is going to carry Phelps' mantle at a meet that will run well past midnight on some days to cater for US viewers, then it is likely to be Katie Ledecky.
The 19-year-old American holds the world record in 400 and 800 meters freestyle and could complete a golden triple with the 200 as well.
Ledecky, who won four individual golds at last year's world championships in Kazan, Russia, is the youngest member of the US squad but looking unbeatable in 800.
Teammate Missy Franklin, who won four golds and a bronze in 2012, will compete in only two individual events and a relay after a disappointing trials.
The rest of the world, and particularly the Australians, sense an opportunity.
London saw the once-mighty swimming nation slump to its lowest Olympic haul in 20 years, with a subsequent review highlighting a 'toxic culture', but Rio can expect a fighting comeback.
"I think swimming has got its mojo back which is a great thing," said head coach Jacco Verhaeren after national trials in April.
Cate Campbell set a 100m freestyle world record in July while sister Bronte is world champion but both face a challenge from Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom.
On the men's side, Cameron McEvoy will chase gold in the blue riband 100 freestyle, one of five events he will contest.
Golden couple Emily Seebohm and boyfriend Mitch Larkin go to Rio as world champions in both the 100m and 200m backstroke.
The Europeans will get in on the act, with Britain's breaststroke world champion Adam Peaty and 200m free world champion James Guy hoping to succeed for a country that has not had a male Olympic swimming gold medalist since Adrian Moorhouse in 1988.
Hungary, Italy, France — with reigning 50 meters freestyle world and Olympic champion Florent Manaudou — and the Netherlands all have potential medal winners too.
Africa will look to South Africans Cameron van der Burgh, the reigning champion and Peaty's big rival in 100m breaststroke, and Chad Le Clos, who beat Phelps to 200m butterfly gold in 2012.
The scourge of doping, in a year darkened by scandals in Russia, also hangs over the pool with 2012 gold medallists Sun Yang of China and South Korea's Park Tae-hwan back in Rio after suspensions.
Pollution is also a major concern for the open water swimmers after dangerous 'super bacteria' were found off Rio's beaches.


Clic here to read the story from its source.