Coach says Michael Phelps will only compete in events he has a chance to win

Michael Phelps has a lot to live up to when he jumps into the water at the London Olympics this summer. In case you somehow forgot, the 26-year-old who many have called the greatest swimmer of all time, took home a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Excitement swept through the United States and many other parts of the world as Phelps chased down the record, and you can expect the same type of buzz to follow him to London.

Whether Phelps can realistically break his own record or not, his fans can rest assured knowing that his coach, Bob Bowman, has said Phelps will not set himself up for failure.

“He won’t swim in an event in London that he won’t have a chance to win,” Bowman said according to the Baltimore Sun.

What events are those? Water polo? Beach volleyball? Phelps has not yet revealed which swimming events he will take part in, but there can’t be many he has no chance of winning. In other words: Thank you, Captain Obvious. I can’t imagine many athletes from around the world would throw themselves into an event they thought they had no shot of winning. At least Bowman and Phelps are protecting us from having to witness the unthinkable.

H/T Nick Zaccardi on Twitter
Photo credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE