10 August,2015 07:40 AM IST | | AFP
Michael Phelps sent a clear message to his 2016 Rio Olympic rivals after taking gold with another stunning world best time in the 100 meter butterfly at the US championships on Saturday
Michael Phelps during the US Championships in Texas on Saturday
San Antonio: Michael Phelps sent a clear message to his 2016 Rio Olympic rivals after taking gold with another stunning world best time in the 100 meter butterfly at the US championships on Saturday.
Michael Phelps during the US Championships in Texas on Saturday. Pic/AFP
The 22-time Olympic medalist delivered his second dazzling performance in as many days as he blitzed the field with a time of 50.45 seconds, on day three of the nationals.
He also eclipsed the 50.56 time that South African Chad le Clos posted in winning the 100m butterfly at the world championships some eight hours earlier in Kazan, Russia.
Le Clos had marked that victory by aiming some pointed verbal barbs at Phelps - who is swimming in San Antonio rather than in Kazan because his drunk-driving arrest in September cost him his world championships berth.
Phelps found the trash talking merely motivational. "I absolutely love it. It just fuels me. Whatever I do in the pool will speak for itself," he said.
