- Michael Phelps responds to Cate Campbell’s comments
- Campbell enjoyed Australia beating the United States in the world championship.
- Australia and the United States will collide in the Paris pool
Michael Phelps has lit the fuse for an all-powerful battle between Team USA and Australia at the Paris Olympics after the swimming legend responded to Cate Campbell’s infamous “sore losers” jibe.
Australia beat its American rivals at last year’s world championships but was left upset when US broadcaster NBC changed its own medal table chart to prioritize overall medals over gold.
His tally put the United States on top, even though Australia held the gold medal lead by 13 to seven.
Australian swimming great Campbell, who missed qualifying for Paris this week, took aim at the Americans in an interview with Today after the world championships.
“I mean Australia getting to the top of the world is one thing, but it’s so much sweeter to beat the United States,” he said.
Michael Phelps has gotten into a dispute between Australia and the United States
Cate Campbell started a dispute with the United States after the world championship
‘The first night of competition, we didn’t have to hear the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ echo through the stadium. I can’t express how happy that made me.
‘If I hear that song again it will be too soon.
‘Let Paris come. That’s all I have to say to America. Stop being sore losers.
American breaststroke star Lily King responded to Campbell’s comments at the time, saying, “I’m sorry, we’re not so uptight that we can’t cheer on our teammates when they pull out of events.” See you in Paris.
With the American team beginning its trials this week, King and Phelps were shown the clip, and NBC hyped up the rivalry.
And a stunned Phelps revealed what he would do as an athlete after watching the clip.
‘Wow. “This is the first time I’ve seen this,” Phelps said.
“I would watch that thing every day to give myself a little more (motivation).”
Phelps says he would use interview as motivation to beat Australians in Paris
King said, “It’s funny to me that it gets on their nerves so much.” That’s funny.
‘Will it be worse if they beat us than others? Yes. I’m glad everyone is jealous of the pride we have in our country.
“We like each other, but we want to kill each other when we’re in the pool.”
Tokyo gold medalist Bobby Finke said: “That’s just worlds.” These are the Olympic Games. This is the great game show.
Australia has beaten the United States twice in world championships, but has never done so in an Olympic Games since Melbourne 1956.