WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 SPORTS Phelps signs with Photo of the day new suit company BALTIMORE: Michael Phelps has been and 22 medals overall. “Once we heard linked with Speedo throughout his he was coming out of retirement, we swimming career, most notably collect- stayed on the same track,” Rockwell said. ing a $1 million bonus after he won a “But this is a big opportunity for us.” record eight gold medals at the Beijing Under FINA guidelines, any new suits Games. must be approved by the governing Now, as he comes back from retire- body and can be worn in competition ment, the most decorated athlete in starting Jan. 1. Even with that relatively Olympic history will have a different look. short time frame, Aqua Sphere is confi- Phelps is announcing Tuesday that he dent about designing a suit that Phelps has signed a deal with Aqua Sphere, a will be comfortable in and allows him to company that has extensive experience go just as fast as he would in the Arena with triathlons and recreational swim- suit he’s been wearing since returning to ming but will be designing a racing suit competition. for the first time. “To be able to partner with the fore- “Throughout my career, I’ve been able most experts, with the best competitive to do a lot of things with Speedo. The swimmer of all time and one of the most relationship was great,” Phelps told The technical swim coaches to help us in that Associated Press. “But we came to a point process, that alleviates any sort of pres- where we had an opportunity to really sure in terms of developing this new change the sport and grow the sport product,” said Todd Mitchell, who man- even more.” ages the swim business line for Aqua Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, Sphere. will be working with Aqua Sphere on a Last week in Baltimore, Phelps and line of products beyond racing suits, all Bowman held their first extensive talks carrying the swimmer’s name. In addi- with Aqua Sphere’s engineers and tion to success in the pool, they hope the designers, providing their feedback on Phelps brand will lure more people into products that are merely prototypes at swimming and reduce the number of the moment. There is still work to do drowning deaths. before there’s a suit, cap and goggles The deal is a huge coup for Aqua that Phelps will be ready to wear in com- Sphere, which is now represented by the petition, but they say the initial tests winningest athlete in Olympics history as were encouraging. it tries to carve out a niche alongside Phelps said the suit “felt great,” and he more established swimsuit companies provided suggestions on ways to modify such as Arena, Speedo and Tyr. the goggles to meet his needs, especially Steve Fisher navigates the Hanging Spear Falls near Newcomb, New York, USA. — www.redbull.com Phelps had been sponsored by the range of vision it provides. Speedo since he was 16, and starred at “It’s really just an investment of our Beijing in a high-tech suit the company time,” Bowman said. “I think they have all designed with help from NASA. The deal the wherewithal and infrastructure to Pakistan can cope ran out at the end of last year. make it happen. It’s really exciting for us After receiving offers from all the to actually be able to create some things major companies, the 29-year-old was whereas normally it’s just something intrigued by the idea of going with a firm where we pick out and use it. Now, we that would give him and Bowman sub- can tailor and make some things to the with Herath spin stantial input into the design of every- way we’d like swimming to go, the things thing from racing suits to gear that could that we think are important.” be used at the grass-roots level. Terms of the contract were not GALLE: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq is confi- “It’s all hand-in-hand with not only my released, but it runs through the 2020 dent that his batsmen will be able to overcome the goal to grow the sport of swimming, but Tokyo Olympics. Phelps has made no threat posed by Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana to help kids live healthy and active commitment to swimming past the Rio Herath in the two-Test series starting today. lifestyles and learn to swim,” Phelps said. Games in two years, though both sides Herath has often proved to be a thorn in “It starts from there.” insist this is a long-term relationship that Pakistan’s side having taken 65 of his 237 test wick- Don Rockwell, the CEO of Aqua will carry on beyond his time in the ets against them in 15 matches, more than against Sphere, said his company began talking water. “The barrier to getting into the any other country. with Phelps’ representatives after learn- sport and the barrier to Michael’s efforts “He is one of the leading wicket-takers of Sri ing the deal with Speedo was ending. At to grow the sport relate directly to prod- Lanka at the moment but the confidence level of the time, they weren’t sure he would uct,” said Phelps’ agent, Peter Carlisle. all our batsmen is very good against him,” Misbah actually return as a competitor. Of “The motivation is there for both part- told reporters on Tuesday. “Ours is more or less the course, there were no complaints when ners to really change the approach that’s same batting order and the same guys who played he announced his return in April. been taken, to take a much more inclu- in the last series, everybody is confident about Now Aqua Sphere will have one of its sive approach to it. We think a big differ- playing him. v“In the last series played in the UAE suits on a swimmer with 18 gold medals ence can be made.” — AP which ended in a 1-1 draw, Herath took 14 wickets at an average cost of 36.64. Pakistan has not won a test series in Sri Lanka since 2006. “We tried our level best to get ready for this series, we had a good training camp in Karachi before we came here everybody is ready for the series,” Misbah said. Pakistan have not played test cricket since the last series against Sri Lanka ended SRI LANKA: Pakistan cricketers Umar Akmal prepares to catch a ball during a practice session in the UAE in January. “We worked hard on our fit- at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. — AFP ness, before Ramadan we had a tough fitness camp series before he quits test cricket. weeks ago and missed the rest of the series. and everybody is in good shape,” he added. “He is one of the best batsmen in the world so “Either Eranga or Suranga has been injured “All the players are fit that is what Waqar we don’t want him to score runs because if an since the Bangladesh series (in February), so we (Younis) as coach wants from us. “He really wants to experienced player like him scores runs it will be haven’t have both of them together... which would focus on fitness and fielding it really brings some- difficult for you as an opposition to raise your have been a very formidable attack,” Mathews said. thing special to the team.” Misbah said his team game,” said Misbah. “We will be really focusing on “But I still have a good (pace) attack in Dhammika were experienced in Sri Lankan conditions having that and try our level best to get him out early.” Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep. played a lot of cricket there. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka paceman Suranga Lakmal “They’ve bowled pretty well in the recent past “You could say these conditions are not much will miss the Pakistan test series due to an ankle and the two spinners, Rangana Herath and different from Abu Dhabi and Dubai but in Galle injury, dashing the home team’s hopes of fielding Dilruwan Perera, have been bowling magnificently. especially, there is a little bit of seam movement their most potent new-ball partnership in the “I feel that I’ve got the bowling attack to take 20 and movement in the air that’s something the opening match today. “Lakmal has sustained wickets,” he added. Following their maiden test seamers are really interested in,” said Misbah. severe swelling above his left ankle following the series win in England in June, Sri Lanka lost the “You need to bowl well and as a batsman you second test against South Africa and unfortunately two-test home series against South Africa 1-0. need to negotiate the seam bowlers really well. he is out of the series,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo “In the second test against South Africa we were “Good spinners also get help on these pitches. Mathews told a pre-match news conference yester- almost going to win it, unfortunately the weather “Both teams fancy these sorts of conditions but day. The injury to Lakmal, who was named in the gods had other ideas,” Mathews said. “Pakistan has everyone knows that in their own conditions, Sri 15-man squad for the two-match series pending a been a very hard team to beat wherever they play... Lanka are a really good team, so you need to play late fitness test, comes at a unfortunate time as it we expect a bigger challenge from them definitely.