“I’ve gotten to where I am today by working hard, and I know that and Bob knows that, and nobody else thinks that, so it doesn’t matter. I’m very happy with my career and what I’ve done throughout it,” said the 14-time Olympic gold medalist.
Phelps was accompanied by his long-time coach Bob Bowman at his side while facing hundreds of journalists.

Bowman said that since Phelps has stepped up his strength training, he has been slacking of a little; he sometimes even takes a day off from the pool. But both he and Bowman believe that he has done enough in the past two years to close his Games career in style.

Phelps is slated to defend his four individual titles and three relays, at the London Games. When he was asked which one he most wants to retain.

“Obviously, all of them,” he said.

“Some people like to express their feelings in words. Some like to express them in action. I’ve always done that by swimming, and that’s how I’ll continue to do it,” said Phelps after his newspaper spat with his US teammate Tyler Clary, who reportedly questioned Phelps’ work ethics and declared his training as “real lack of preparation”.

Regarding the incident Phelps said Clary had apologized privately during the US team’s training camp in Tennessee, immediately after the US trials.