Phelps - On Competition

From his book, No Limits:

"The point of competition is to compete. It's to take on the biggest challenge. When you compete against the very best, it makes you better; I don't care if someone is twenty times better or one-tenth better. I want to race the best.

I hate to lose. But I was not afraid to lose. I am never afraid to lose.''

He had decided to race in the 200 free in Athens against Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband. He was questioned why since they were better than him. Nonetheless, he wanted the challenge. He ended in third.

"That loss in Athens has to be looked at as a -- maybe the -- defining moment in my swim career. I stepped up and raced the best. I found out that I was good but, in the 200 free, not good enough. I had work to do.''