MICHAEL PHELPS, 22-time Olympic medalist, said that he is swimming better than he has in years as he prepares to make a comeback to the sport and compete in the 2016 Rio Games.
“I don’t remember feeling this happy around the water, consistently, probably since I was in high school,” Phelps said, during a question and answer session the Doha GOALS Forum in L.A. on Sunday. “Going into 2012, I felt like I had to finish there. Like I had to make it to 2012. Now I am just having fun,” Phelps said.
Phelps announced in April '14 that he intended to attempt a comeback and compete in next year’s Olympics, after his retirement from swimming in '12. Phelps won his 22nd Olympic medal in '12 -- more than any other athlete.
Phelps is scheduled to compete at the Phillips 66 National Championships in San Antonio, Texas, which are scheduled for Aug. 6-10.
“I am swimming faster times than I have in workouts than I have in a long time and I am getting ready to compete in two weeks, “ Phelps said. “I am in a much better place than I have been in my career.” Phelps spoke before the fourth annual Doha GOALS Forum, a global event using sport to drive social and economic change, which began on Sunday in L.A.
This year, for the first time, Doha GOALS has partnered with the Special Olympics.
Phelps is an ambassador for the U.S. Team for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, which are being held in L.A. and was part of the opening night ceremonies Saturday night.
“Last night was my first ever Opening Ceremony that I’ve ever been a part of. I stood at the bottom of the tunnel and watched all the athletes coming out,” Phelps told the Doha GOALS conference.
Phelps shared that he was never able to participate in opening ceremony events for the Olympics he competed in, because his swimming schedule prevented it.
“And I guess I thought back to what it would have been like to experience that,” Phelps said. “Just to see the expressions on their (the athletes’) faces. It was awesome. It was so much fun to watch…. It just sent chills up my body. "
