SANTA CLARA // A perfectionist that he has always been, Michael Phelps was unhappy to struggle the way he did in the 400m freestyle at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix.
He won the event for sure, but he had to dig deep in the final 100m, clocking 3min 48.05secs at the outdoor pool. Ryan Cochrane, of Canada, pushed Phelps before settling for second in 3.48.40 while Robert Hurley, of Australia was third in 3.48.49.
Phelps, who won eight gold medals at last year's Beijing Olympics, was, however, disappointed. "I felt awesome the first 250, then I turned with 150 to go and I was second-guessing why I ever asked to swim that event," the American said.
Phelps has rarely swum the event, and he did not advance to the 400m free final at the 2005 world championships in Montreal, a failure that still bothers him. "I don't think I've ever hurt that bad after a race. I'm not in enough shape to swim a good 400," he said. "That's how not to swim a 400 free. I went out after it and barely hung on."
His coach Bob Bowman, on the other hand, drew positives from the close shave, saying: "It's good for him. It reminds him it's not easy to win races. That's a race where he really pushed himself to the limit."
* AP
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier
Sunday's results:
- UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
- Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
- Oman v Hong Kong, no result
Tuesday fixtures:
- Malaysia v Singapore
- UAE v Oman
- Nepal v Hong Kong
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young