Rock relegated Phelps to second in the 200metres butterfly, something the 22-year-old can celebrate for the rest of his days.
But the Stockport man was wearing a performance-enhancing suit, while the Olympic and world champion was wearing the Speedo 2010 textile-only jammer.
Delight: Michael Rock celebrates after beating Michael Phelps in Manchester
In no way was it a level playing field and in all probability this was Rock’s first and last victory over Phelps.
However, the young Briton described it as ‘a fantastic experience’.
Phelps, who was racing for the first time in this country, finished the two-day, 30-race extravaganza by guiding the US 100m freestyle relay team home in a world record 3min 3.30sec, the eighth world record set by the Americans at the Duel.
The Baltimore Bullet is the greatest Olympian of all time, but 2009 began with a three-month ban from the sport after he was photographed smoking from a marijuana pipe at a college party, and although he won six more world titles in Rome last August, he has been consistently defeated, in part due to his decision to wear the trunks-only ‘jammers’ in readiness for next season.
None of which will bother 22-year-old Manchester University law student Rock, who beat the Olympic and world long-course 200m butterfly champion by more than a second in a time of 1min 51.46sec.
Phelps, who finished second to add to his three firsts and two thirds in this meet, hardly looked enamoured with his work.
‘I’ve just beaten the best,’ said the man nicknamed Rocky. ‘It’s the greatest
achievement of my life. It’s not every day you beat Michael Phelps, is it? Maybe I had an advantage, I don’t know, but it’s given me a real boost for the Commonwealths and Olympics.’
Legend: Michael Phelps in action at the Manchester Aquatics Centre
Phelps admitted his disappointment at what was for him a below-par performance.
‘It’s not been too bad, but it’s not been great, either,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘Michael beat me because he was better prepared. I’d rather lose the ones that don’t count than the ones that do and these are steps towards being ready for the next world championships and the London Olympics.’
Rebecca Adlington got back to winning ways as she took one of the six races won by Britain’s impressive women’s squad. Against her in the 800m freestyle, her favoured distance, was the open water 10km world champion Kerri-Anne Payne, who had been given two days’ notice that she would be competing in Manchester.
It was a classy display from the 20-year-old from Mansfield, which suggests a better 2010 than this year. Double Olympic gold medalist Adlington has endured a difficult 2009, not helped by her insistence on wearing a Speedo swimsuit that placed her at a disadvantage.
After the highs of 2008, Adlington, despite the post-Beijing euphoria, could only finish third and fourth in the world 400m and 800m and ended up in tears in Rome.
Brit of all right: Rebecca Adlington
On Saturday she wore a far happier expression, having beaten a decent field in 8min 10.59sec, just over six seconds outside the short-course world record. ‘I’m really pleased with that,’ she said.
Lizzie Simmonds had an even better Duel, adding a win in the 100m backstroke to her 200m victory on Friday. At 18, the girl from Lincoln promises to be one of the stars of London 2012 and another indication that British swimming, especially women’s, is growing in strength.
Fran Halsall underlined this by adding the women’s 50m freestyle to the 100m freestyle and butterfly victories from Friday night.
The 19-year-old’s exploits made it six wins from British girls out of the nine in total won by the E-Stars.
Despite the drubbing by the Americans - they won 21 races to nine - the Duel in the Pool was an exciting example of how much British swimming is developing and how, when the Olympics are in London, tickets for the pool will be among the hottest in town.
Source:dailymail.co.uk/
1 comment:
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