After months of speculation, 22-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps has ended his retirement and may be eyeing a return to the pool for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio after he returns to competitive swimming in Mesa, Ariz.
According to AZCentral, Phelps will return to the pool in less than two weeks for active competition for the first time since he announced his retirement two years ago. Phelps announced he's officially entered the Arena Grand Prix in Mesa from April 24-26 at Skyline Aquatic Center.
Phelps, 28, is reportedly building a comeback path that will lead him to the Olympic Games in 2016 after he announced his retirement following the 2012 London Olympic Games in which he won six medals and became the winningest Olympian in any Olympic sport.
Since retiring, rumors have swirled that Phelps would end up returning prior to 2016 despite the swimmer vehemently denying these claims. Phelps worked on his golf game and opened his own swimming training facility while he kept in shape.
Phelps then made headlines when he re-entered the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency testing program, which requires a six-month waiting period before a swimmer can return to active competition. Phelps will return to swimming in Mesa, which hosts its second Grand Prix in a row.
"It's historic, it's going to be a media spectacle," Mesa Aquatics Club CEO Paul Smith said via AZCentral."No other venue has the same feel and proximity to the action as ours. It's going to be thrilling regardless of what shape he (Phelps) is in. There's something about being at pool level that is energizing."
Despite Phelps denying reports in the past that he'd return to competition, it appears as though the most decorated athlete in Olympics history will be returning to the pool.
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