Phelps has eyes on world championships, Olympics

WILMINGTON, Delaware — Michael Phelps says he still has goals to achieve in the pool, specifically at the 2011 world championships and the 2012 Olympics. The 14-time Olympic gold medalist was at a local high school on Saturday to conduct a clinic, and he even hit the pool as part of a relay team. He relished the opportunity to spend time in the water with the young athletes, hoping it motivates them to achieve their own goals. Phelps, who says he has pondered retirement, is looking toward the world championships in Shanghai next summer. "After this summer, not really having a great year, kind of an average year for me, being able to have the world championships next year and make the world championship team, that's sort of where the focus is," Phelps said. "To have as good a world championships as I can, then hopefully being able to have a good Olympic trials would set me up for the games in 2012." Beyond that, Phelps wouldn't divulge his future goals. "I know I still have goals I want to accomplish; goals I want to achieve," he said. "You could have 1,000 reporters in here (rather than three) trying to ask me a thousand ways what those goals were and still won't get the real answer." Phelps' longtime coach recently acknowledged that the 25-year-old currently isn't the finest swimmer in the world. Bob Bowman said fellow American Ryan Lochte deserves that distinction. Lochte beat Phelps in the 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke finals at the U.S. championships this summer, then won six gold medals to Phelps' five at the Pan Pacific Championships. Phelps expects Bowman to help him once again become the best in the world. "There's one other person who's going to help me accomplish my goal and that's my coach," Phelps said. "He knows what I need to do in the pool. I know what I need to do. Once 2012 comes around and I'm able to accomplish those goals, then you'll know it." Phelps was at Thomas McKean High School to conduct a clinic with about 30 youth swimmers. He also participated in a relay on behalf of Kids Health as part of the Nemours Swim4Kids program in conjunction with the Michael Phelps Foundation. The event raised $74,400. – AP