The swimming world went a little nuts Friday when NBC Fort Myers anchor Peter Busch, son of U.S. national swim team director Frank Busch, tweeted that he confirmed what many of us have hoped: Olympic champ Michael Phelps was already “planning a return to competitive swimming” after only a year or so away from the pool.
Busch’s report said that Phelps would begin working out this weekend at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs after a recent change of heart. And that he’ll attempt a comeback for the Rio Olympics in three years.
But before you add even more medals to Phelps’s already impressive career tally, the swimming legend quickly denied the rumor with his own tweet, albeit not that firmly, saying he kept getting texts about a comeback and wondering whether people “really believe everything they hear or read?”
Sports Illustrated’s Nick Zaccardi confirmed that Phelps isn’t on the roster of swimmers in Colorado this weekend, and as of yesterday Phelps tweeted the much more familiar site of himself on a golf course. But who really knows? Well, actually, Michael Phelps. This could get very interesting very quickly.
Here’s the exchange on Twitter, complete with a dig by Phelps’s (former) coach Bob Bowman:
EXCLUSIVE: I have confirmed that Michael Phelps is planning a comeback. nbc-2.com/story/22286148…
— Peter Busch (@peterbuschTV) May 17, 2013
Why do I keep getting texts about coming back? Do ppl really believe everything they hear or read? There are ... m.tmi.me/VVJFR
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) May 18, 2013
Phelps just sent tweet insinuating that he’s not coming back, but I feel very confident with my info. Guess we’ll see.
— Peter Busch (@peterbuschTV) May 18, 2013
RT @greatestquotes: “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.” - Lao-tzu @michaelphelps
— Bob Bowman (@coach_bowman) May 18, 2013