Phelps plays down record hype, US tips China to top medal tally

2008-8-7  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MICHAEL Phelps yesterday played down talk about beating compatriot Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the Munich Olympics in 1972, saying he had never spoken anything about breaking records.

"I'm preparing myself the best I can and get the golds."

Phelps is the world record holder in 200m and 400m individual medley as well as in 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly. He will be looking to add the 100m butterfly, going head-to-head with teammate Ian Crocker.

"Ups and downs are all part of growing up. I probably didn't make the best decisions (in the past year), but I have learnt from every single one of them," Phelps said.

In the women's events, the United State will be up against a formidable Australian side especially in freestyle sprint and breaststroke competition.

Dara Torres, who was part of the US relay team that won the gold in Sydney 2000, is competing in her fifth Olympics at the age of 41.

"I see myself in some of the younger kids," said the mother of a two-year-old daughter. "I have to remind myself that I was one of them, and try not to be a mother."

She is going to compete in the 50m freestyle.

"I just want to go out there for those 40-something-year olds and show them that age is just a number."

Meanwhile, both Torres and Phelps praised the pool at the National Aquatics Center.

"It's exciting when you walk into the pool ... I'm looking forward to it," Torres said.

"The facilities (in the Olympic Village) are the best (Olympic wise) I've ever competed in," Phelps said.

"The dormitories compensate what I missed during my college days. Four or five of us have actually been playing cards which is great."

But Phelps said he will not be going for the opening ceremony since he will be competing the next day.

"I will watch it on TV ... It will definitely be something that we've never seen before."

Thirty-two gold medals will be decided in nine days of competition at the National Aquatics Center.

Earlier, the US Olympic Committee said that the United States will be the underdog in the battle for medals here as the Chinese have become much stronger since the Athens Games four years ago, Reuters said.

"The Chinese team ... is exceptionally strong and predicted by almost all to lead the medal count in these Games, and the gold medal count," Chief Executive Office Jim Scherr said yesterday.

"We really look at this as a three-country race with China leading the way between Russia and the US and China," the former wrestling Olympian said.

China won 32 gold medals at Athens, finishing second behind the Americans' 36. The United States grabbed the most medals overall - 102, followed by Russia with 92 and China 63.

Chinese officials have played down their chances of overtaking the Americans despite enjoying home advantage.

However, the United States was making neither prediction nor boast for its 596 athletes.

"The majority of the pollsters are picking China to win the gold medal count, if not the total medal count. We make no predictions on whether we will be first or second or third," Scherr said.

US Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth said that, except in the Winter Games, the United States is "not used to being the underdog in the Olympic Games."

He recalled that during the 1984 Los Angeles Games when China won its first gold medal he said to himself, "Wow, these guys are good," and was not surprised when the Chinese went from strength to strength in the years that followed.

Scherr said Beijing was not a one-shot opportunity for China because the inspiration many Chinese will draw and the sports infrastructure that has been built will keep it competitive.

"We think this will be a formidable system that we will have to contend with for a very long time," he said.