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The Disneyland Report > Disney News > Michael Phelps Seeks More Gold at World Championships Disney NewsMichael Phelps Seeks More Gold at World Championships By Steve Keating INDIANAPOLIS - Still riding a wave of euphoria from the Olympics, Michael Phelps returns to the pool this week at the world short course swimming championships seeking a repeat of his six gold medals in Athens. The American has spent much of the six weeks since the Athens Games making a raft of personal appearances and will need to refocus quickly. He plans to swim in six events over five days, starting on Thursday with the 200 meters freestyle. Criss-crossing the United States with Disney's 'Swim with the Stars' tour, Phelps was in California on Tuesday, swimming down Main Street USA at Disneyland. The more serious business of the short course championships is expected to attract a record 600 athletes from 100 countries to the temporary 25m pool constructed on the floor of the Conseco Field House, home to the NBA Indiana Pacers. While Phelps's biggest rival, Australia's Ian Thorpe and some other top names including Grant Hackett and Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband will not be in Indianapolis, the 19-year-old American still face some monstrous challenges, some of his own making. The 12-city Disney tour and other sponsor commitments, endorsements and promotional appearances have meant Phelps has lived more like a rock star than a swimmer, at the expense of his normal training routine. He did not see his coach or Baltimore home for close to a month but despite that has set himself another gruelling schedule. He plans also to compete in the 200 butterfly, 100, 200 and 400 individual medleys and 4x200 freestyle relay. Phelps, who does not hold any short course world records, will have his technique put to the test in 25-meter pool where the quality of a swimmer's turns often decide races. The 48-member U.S. squad includes triple Olympic champion Aaron Piersol and every individual gold medallist from Athens except Gary Hall. Much of the attention will be directed at China's young 25-member team, led by Luo Xuejuan, the gold medal winner in the women's 100m breaststroke. They are expected to form the backbone of the squad that will compete at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. To read the rest of this story, click here. Return to Disney News. |
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