Legend Phelps to return to pool

WASHINGTON, Apr 15 (AFP): Olympic swimming superstar Michael Phelps, who retired from the sport after taking six medals at the 2012 London Olympics, will make his competitive comeback next week at a US Grand Prix series event in Mesa, Arizona, USA Swimming announced Monday. The American returned to the anti-doping test programme last year and his long-time coach, Bob Bowman, had indicated earlier that there would be a comeback, which could see the record 22-time Olympic medalist continue his career all the way to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Phelps, who turns 29 in June, and fellow Olympic champions and world record holders Ryan Lochte and Katie Ledecky were announced as swimming in the Arizona event April 24-26. "As of today, I definitely expect him to swim," Bowman told USA Today newspaper Monday. "We're looking forward to it. I think it'll be great for the sport to have Michael compete again. We really don't have any expectations for what might happen. We just want to have some fun with it and see how it goes."