SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2015 SPORTS

SAN ANTONIO: competes in the finals of the 200-meter butterfly at the US nationals. —AP Phelps sets tone for Rio race with blistering 200m fly win

SAN ANTONIO: Michael Phelps showed Friday “I think we’re in a pretty good place right now.” al demons in a journey he described this year out of the pool. “It all goes together,” Bowman that level-that’s the real level.” he’s still a formidable force as the Rio Olympics Phelps was cheered wildly by fans in San as “brutal”. “I think it just shows you anything is said. “All this stuff has really weighed on him. When he launched his comeback from a approach, clocking a stunning 1min 52.94sec Antonio, who stamped on the bleachers and possible if you want something bad enough,” He’s dealt with a lot of stuff and dealt with it near two-year retirement in 2014 the 200m fly to win the 200m butterfly at the US swimming screamed as he squinted to see his time. When Phelps said. Coach Bob Bowman called it one well. “I’m really proud of that because it would didn’t appear to figure in Phelps’s plans. championships. “This next year is going to be he did, Phelps gave a little “number one” wag of the best races he’s ever seen from the swim- have broken a lot of people.” He failed to break two minutes in the event pretty damn fun,” a laughing Phelps said after of his finger, and as the cheers grew slapped mer whose resume incudes his glittering at a meeting in Charlotte in May, but gave a posting the fastest time in the world this year- the water in celebration. eight-gold campaign in Beijing in 2008. ‘THE REAL LEVEL’ glimpse of what was to come on Friday morn- eclipsing Hungarian Laszlo Cseh’s world cham- “It’s good to do it on my own soil-in the “It was really nice to see that fire,” Bowman Bowman admitted that the setbacks and ing when he cruised to victory in his heat in pionship-winning time of 1:53.48 in Kazan, country that I represent,” said Phelps, whose said after Phelps left Matt Conger a distant sluggish performances this season had left 1:55.51. Russia, this week. drunk-driving arrest last September cost him second in 1:54.54 by more than a second and room for doubt, even when he knew Phelps, As for the winning time, Bowman said: “I It’s the fastest time Phelps has produced in his world championships berth. a half. who turned 30 on June 30, was racing in the think some people will be very surprised.” the event since he set the world record of Swimming in a US nationals that amounts “The way he raced that, that was really gut- midst of hard training. Bowman and Phelps-who will swim the 1:51.51 in 2009 — and is two-hundredths of a to a consolation meet, the 18-time Olympic sy because he’s honestly still not in perfect He wasn’t surprised to see Phelps’s emo- 100m fly late yesterday followed by the second faster than the 1:52.96 South African gold medallist showed his campaign to make shape for the last 50 (meters) of it, and he just tions spill over after the races, saying he got a 200m medley today, will be resting easy. Chad Le Clos swam to deny Phelps gold at the the Rio Games is right on track, despite a six- gutted it out.” little choked up, too. “It’s been a long, hard “There was a little doubt there,” Bowman London Olympics in 2012. month ban from competition and addiction Bowman said it was a validation of Phelps’s road to get here,” Bowman said. “And you nev- admitted. “Not so much anymore. Going to “It’s a good feeling to be back,” Phelps said. treatment during which he dealt with person- dedication to getting his life in order, in and er really know if you’re going to get back to sleep tonight.” —AFP Vollmer shows how to have it all

SAN ANTONIO: is back at the didn’t nurse him before I raced. I didn’t pool, hoping to compete at another leave enough time. It’s just one of those Olympics and reclaim her world record. You things where we just kind of make it work. know, normal stuff for an athlete who’s “I’m sure,” Vollmer added, just minutes after been on top of the game. Only now, she’s climbing from the water, “he’s waiting for taking someone else along for the ride. A me now and wants to be fed.” son named Arlen. So off she went, wading through dozens “Breastfeeding,” she said, breaking into of swimmers crowding on the deck, look- an enormous if somewhat weary smile that ing for Arlen and her husband, former any new mother can appreciate. “I never Stanford swimmer Andy Grant. thought I’d have to put that in my pre-race “We’re trying to show that you can start routine.” a life and come back and do (swimming) Five months after having her first child, pretty well,” Grant would say a few minutes Vollmer competed this week at the US later, after passing off Arlen to his wife and national championships in San Antonio. snapping a few pictures with the pool and Talk about a role model for any parent try- a national championships banner provid- ing to balance work and family. Vollmer is ing the background. “She’s putting a new showing you can have it all - as long as you definition on working mom.” don’t expect more than a few hours of More and more, female athletes are real- sleep. izing they don’t have to make a choice Just listen to her schedule on the day of between the two most passionate things in her lone event, the 100-meter butterfly, their lives. when qualified in the morning preliminar- won three silver medals at ies, turned in a fourth-place finish in the the 2008 Beijing Olympics after having her evening final, and never lost sight of the daughter. Alysia Montano was eight fact that Arlen is always her top priority. months pregnant when she competed at “I got up at 5:30 in the morning. I have the U.S. track championships in 2014, and to leave a lot more time because nursing she returned last month as a mother to win can take anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes. two medals at the Pan American Games. That’s the big unknown sometimes. Then Sheryl Swoopes had a son before putting there’s pumping after that. Then I ate together one of the greatest careers in breakfast. Then I’m driving to the pool. I WNBA history. race (in the prelims), then I warm down. Still, women must deal with a predica- Then I fed him. Then I went to lunch. Then ment that would never occur to one of we got back to the hotel and I fed him their male counterparts wanting to start a again. Then I was able to sleep for two family. hours. ... That was really nice. My husband Can I be at my best as both a mother took Arlen around the hotel a little bit. and an athlete? “You’ve got to find that bal- : The Australian team pose for a photo with their trophy after defeating New Zealand in their Rugby Championship match yesterday. —AP Then he wakes me up and I nurse Arlen ance, but it’s hard when you have a child,” again. Then I got my bag together. I kind of Torres said. “When you go to work, the guilt stretched, then ate another sandwich. Then kicks in. You have to be OK with that. You stun All Blacks I nursed him again before we left. Then I have to know they’re so young, they’re not came to the pool and got ready to swim. I going to remember a lot of stuff. But you also want to be there in a way they do remember. SYDNEY: Australia stunned world champions only his 15th defeat in the black shirt as he Cooper saw Aaron Smith yellow carded and “I really had to take a deep breath,” she New Zealand 27-19 to claim a first Rugby made his 141st appearance for his country, Australia kicked for touch with the resultant remembered, “and say to myself, ‘It’s OK. Championship title in the fourth year of the matching Irishman Brian O’Driscoll’s record penalty before driving to the New Zealand There’s working parents out there that do competition and a welcome boost ahead of tally. line. this. They go back to their 9-to-5 jobs, they the World Cup yesterday. came off “I think Australia played exceptionally well When the rolling maul collapsed, Kepu go back to something they enjoy doing.’ the bench to score a penalty and a converted tonight and thoroughly deserved the win,” crashed through the defence for a converted You’ve got to know it’s OK to still be a great try which settled a contest which had see- said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. “We’re try which put the Wallabies 10-6 up. Carter parent and do what you love to do.” sawed back and forth for the best part of 70 hurting. It still sucks even if it doesn’t happen reduced the deficit with his third penalty Vollmer was sure she was done swim- minutes, giving the Wallabies a first win over that often.” An uncharacteristic All Blacks spill before Phipps’s evening went from bad to ming after the world championships two the All Blacks since they won the final Tri- from the kickoff and a good shove in the first worse when he was shown a yellow card for summers ago in Barcelona, where she was Nations in 2011. scrum gave Australia early hope that it might dissent in the 54th minute. hampered by a shoulder injury. There Prop and winger Adam be their night but they were soon defending The All Blacks were back in front a minute wasn’t a whole lot left to accomplish, con- Ashley-Cooper also crossed for the their line after a burst from Milner-Skudder. later. Fullback Ben Smith somehow managed sidering she won a gold medal and set a Australians, who will win back the Bledisloe Kepu was sin-binned for killing the ball under to get the ball away through a crowd of gold world record in her signature event at the Cup for the first time since 2002 if they can his own posts and Carter slotted the ensuing shirts to leave Milner-Skudder with a clear run 2012 London Olympics. But she never beat their neighbours in Auckland next week. penalty to give the visitors a 3-0 lead in the to the line. signed her retirement papers, and sudden- New Zealand winger Nehe Milner-Skudder eighth minute. Carter missed the conversion and five min- ly got an urge to resume swimming when scored two tries on debut and flyhalf Dan and Michael Hooper got the utes later Australia hit back when Matt she was just weeks away from delivering Carter kicked three penalties but it was not Arlen. “I don’t know if that was because I turnovers Australia coach Toomua’s perfectly judged crosskick allowed was eight months pregnant and missed my enough to prevent the All Blacks falling to wanted from his experimental back row but Ashley-Cooper to touch down in the corner. body,” she quipped. Whatever the case, only a third defeat since winning the World poor handling and a shocking display of pass- Giteau converted to give Australia a 17-14 Vollmer returned to practice with the Cal Cup in 2011. ing from scrumhalf Nick Phipps meant they lead but it lasted just three minutes before swim team two months after Arlen was “You don’t just say you’ve won once in were unable to exploit them. Milner-Skudder grabbed his second try, barg- born. She and her husband were lucky quite a long time and you’ve done something did put them on level terms in ing over the line through three tacklers and enough to be able to afford a nanny, but special,” Australia coach Michael Cheika said, the 26th minute with his first penalty but getting the ball down at the second attempt. Vollmer made it clear she was not going to trying to dampen down expectations. Carter restored New Zealand’s lead three min- White put Australia a point ahead at 20-19 SAN ANTONIO: Dana Vollmer holds her let someone else raise her child while she “It’s nice for the lads, but it’s an abridged utes later. Both sides would have been unhap- with a long range penalty after 69 minutes 5-month-old son, Arlen Grant, after she spent all day at the pool. She was especially Rugby Championship so it’s only the three py with their first half performances but the but better was to come from the replacement competed in the finals of the women’s adamant about breastfeeding, so her son games. We want to test ourselves over more smiles were on the Australian faces in the halfback and he cut through the visiting 100-meter butterfly in the US swimming attends all of her workouts and training games.” crowd of 73,824 four minutes after the break. defence from close range three minutes later nationals. —AP sessions.—AP All Blacks captain Richie McCaw suffered A high tackle on winger Adam Ashley- to secure the victory.—Reuters