Intro:

Michael Phelps received an abrupt reminder of how challenging his return to international competition may be when he was asked whether he was good enough to even reach a final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships starting on Thursday (21 August).

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Phelps, U.S. Swimmer:

"I mean I guess I'm just kind of rusty on, you know, judging the speed going into my walls because that was one of the biggest things that I really had trouble with at the Nationals was my flip turns and my open turns. You know in the 100 fly I was long and in my 100 free I didn't really touch the wall. So, those are the kind of mistakes you have when you are 11 and 12, you know, as age group swimmer. So, you know, I think it's just I probably just haven't had enough experience I guess over the last year of like judging speed and having that kind of speed going into the walls and then being able to judge it."