The Pan-Pacific championships are as good as it gets for swimming in the middle of an Olympic cycle. It’s not the Olympics or the world championships, but it’s a chance to see a U.S. national team in action.
And because we’re living in the Michael Phelps era, it’s also a chance to see him in action. Sort of.
It’s a relief in these budget-strapped times that the Pan Pacs drew an actual media presence, calling attention to the feats of Ryan Lochte, Dana Vollmer et al. But Phelps, whose out-of-pool life has been in the news in the past, will always be under scrutiny.
So it’s no surprise that The Washington Post‘s Amy Shipley went into great detail about Phelps’ wayward practice habits. Basically, he’s not showing up all the time.
Thankfully, Shipley put Phelps’ efforts in perspective, noting that several swimmers take extended breaks. (Are we sure Gary Hall Jr. didn’t hibernate between Olympics?)
My longtime USA TODAY colleague Vicki Michaelis says Phelps is leaving the Pan Pacs with a heightened awareness of what he needs to do.
But he has plenty of time. The “off” year in the Olympic/world championship cycle is really “off” — moreso than in winter sports, track and field or other Olympic endeavors. Phelps’ next big test starts 11 months from now — July 16-31 in Shanghai for the world championships.
“Let’s be honest,” said Nathan Adrian, whose ascendancy continued over the weekend. “It’s just the Pan Pacs.”