Michael Phelps was very clear that the 2012 London Olympic games would be his last. He said he no longer desired to be in the pool and that he was ready to move on to a new chapter in his life. Well only one year into his new life, it sounds like Phelps might be having second thoughts on the 2016 games in Rio.
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While attending the world swimming championships in Spain, Phelps revealed in an interview that nothing in his future is set in stone. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.” But he also added that, “there’s nothing in the works right now.”
So there might not be anything in the works as of right now, but Phelps sounds like a man that’s thinking about changing his mind. His own mother even predicted at the London games that he’d be back, even if it was just for a relay race.
After a year away to clear his head and by his own admission to be lazy, that fire is probably starting to burn inside him again. You’ve got to be one heck of a competitor to win 22 Olympic medals, so that fire isn’t going to go out easily.
If Phelps does decide to make a go of it in 2016, he should definitely lighten his events load. In 2012 he swam in 7 different events, a number that he might want to reduce to allow him to focus more heavily on what’s in front of him. He’ll be 31 by the time the games roll around and if he does choose to participate, it would mark his fourth Olympic games.
Michael Phelps is arguably the greatest Olympian of all-time, so a return to the pool would be good for everyone involved.
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