US Olympic swimmer Tyler Clary says Michael Phelps is 'asking to get beat'
US Olympic swimmer Tyler Clary has spent a lot of time recently training with Michael Phelps at the University of Michigan. Since Clary is only 23 years old and will be making his first Olympic appearance in London this summer, you might assume Phelps is someone that he looks up to and admires. After all, Phelps is considered by many to be the greatest swimmer to ever live. That hardly seems to be the case.
During a recent interview with Jim Alexander of the Press-Enterprise, Clary was critical of Phelps and the way he has prepared for London, even venturing to say the man who won eight gold medals in Beijing is “asking to get beat.”
“I saw a real lack of preparation (from) him,” Clary said. “Basically, he was a swimmer that didn’t want to be there. They can talk about all of these goals and plans and preparation they have. I saw it. I know. It’s different. And I saw somebody that has basically been asking to get beat for the longest time.”
As we shared with you on Monday, Phelps has been open about the fact that he lost a lot of motivation after reaching the highest point of his life in 2008. He even gained 25 pounds and claims he did “literally nothing” all day long, so it will be interesting to see how he bounces back this summer. That being said, you have to wonder if it’s in Clary’s best interest to basically smack talk the US’s best swimmer.
“I’ve always called myself more of a blue-collar worker, as far as swimming goes,” Clary added. “I work my (butt) off all the time. That’s not to say that everybody else doesn’t. But the fact that I know I work harder than he does makes me appreciate every little goal and every little gain that I make.
“And the day that it happens, when I finally beat him, is going to be a huge deal in my mind, because it would be complete satisfaction. And the only thing that would be better than that is breaking the world record.”
Phelps has done his fair share of working his butt off, too. He accomplished more at the Beijing Olympics than almost all swimmers will accomplish in their entire lives. Clary is confident which is not necessarily a bad thing, but there are far better ways to go about it than that.
H/T CBSSports.com
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That is really a shame if it is true. If Michael Phelps really dons not want to be there or his whole heart is not in the Olympics..Why even bother making the team, and taking a spot away from someone who would dedicate their all to winning. Good luck to all our American athletes going to London!!
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Everyone knows Phelps didn't even begin training until a few years ago and that he wasn't near the training machine he used to be. Funny though, even with his supposedly poor training, he still beat Clary in the trials. He's just that good. Sounds more like a case of sour grapes to me because Phelps took his spot in the IM's. The sad truth is that Clary will probaby never really have an opportunity to beat Phelps. Phelps will effectively retire, probably after this year's worlds, and Clary will not have beat him by then. Talk about your white whale.
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I would be hard pressed to think that Phelps is dogging it, he's probably the senior member of the team and from what I've read, he's still swimming rather well, even somone with his ability that was not training hard would not have been able to make the team against the best in the US. This does sound like sour grapes to me too.
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OF COURSE when you're there best there ever was,pups & media will show their backsides at will.Just watch and see who's who.M P will rise again.
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Sour grapes for sure. Clary will NEVER be the swimmer, or even close to, MP is. Someone needs to remind the 23 year old baby that of that fact. Also, Michael has been honest and upfront about his training and how he has had to work very hard to get to the place his is now because he did slack off so much. I say, Go MIchael, and the swimming and wrestling is what I will be watching in London!!!!
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Michael ,you are an American hero, Don,t lrt the mini dicks deter you from another Medal run!!
Good Luck to our Olympic team!!!! -
I have one question for Tyler: If Mr. Phelps is the sleeping dog waiting to be had that you claim him to be, and beating him would be such a huge deal in your mind, then why poke him? Respect your competition, whomever they may be, and may the best win.
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Tyler is a loser. If Micheal did not compete and we had Tyler on the team, then yes his Dream of losing at the Olympics would come true. Tyler wouldn't win any medals in London, Micheal is our best chance, not Tyler. Believe me I was in Omaha watching him beat Tyler, Micheal looks GOOD.
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Who really thought Phelps was going to try hard? I have never seen anyone who hits the maui wowy really have any motivation to get off the couch for anything but to answer the door when the Pizza Man delivers the Large, Pan Pizza with extra cheese and a 3 Litre of Coke. Phelps sounds like maybe he's been hittin the hootch and burning the rope a little too much over that last few years. But I still pull for the big eared galoot to win the races. Why not...stoned or whatever he's still the best swimmer in the world. PUFF PUFF....PASS.
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AFTER Mr. Clary wins HIS 8 medals, maybe then he can open his mouth... MP is THE greatest Swimmer in the World... and, it will take ALOT for someone else to do what he's ALREADY Done!
Michael - go to London and have a Great Time! Remember... WE'LL ALL BE CHEERING FOR YOU and the rest of TEAM U.S.A. !!! -
Here's a newsflash....the base we establish early on in our athletic careers stays with us for years. I swam near as fast at age 38 as I did at NCAA's my senior year in college...after a 6 year break from training....and only swimming 1,200-2,000 yds a day. If someone called me a slacker for doing what I needed to do to get ready for a bunch of races that are all under a minute...I'd simply ask them when they wanted to race me? Remember Olympic Track runner Michael Johnson? 45 minutes a day...that's it...slacker...or world record holder? Technique and repetition....MP has plenty of both. Us old guys cannot put in the 20k training days anymore...but we can still surprise folks with smart training rather than just putting in a bunch of garbage yards.
