We all know that Michael Phelps didn’t come in “next-to-last” in the 100 Free last night at US Nationals. But, the media sure makes it out to be that way.
Was it a surprise that Phelps got 7th in Finals? Yes, I believe it was. He’s been swimming very well over the last 6 months at several different meets and had a Prelims back-half that was absolutely monstrous.
So what happened? He had a bad race. That’s all. It happens to everyone — including the untouchable Michael Phelps.
Phelps claims he missed the first (and only) wall. This is where Phelps has always shined — please refer to his Prelims swim for a better understanding.
With 6 other Olympians in the heat, missing the only turn was too much to overcome. But, does this eliminate Phelps from being a part of the 4×100 Freestyle Relay at Pan Pacs? If it’s the coaches decision, we highly doubt he’d be left off. SwimSwam made this fantastic point:
Phelps will also have a shot at the 100 Free individually as long as he qualifies for the Pan Pac team.