Michael Phelps is at the U.S. Aquatic Sports Convention in San Diego, where the 18-year-old from Rodgers Forge figures to have his remarkable summer acknowledged by USA Swimming Friday night.
Phelps and Bob Bowman of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club are expected to be named Swimmer and Coach of the Year, respectively.
The two were similarly honored in 2001. It's Bowman second trip to California in as many weeks, as he was recently recognized as Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches Association.
At July's world championships in Barcelona, Spain, Phelps became the first swimmer to have five world record performances in one meet.
Along the way, he was the first man to set world records in different events on the same day. Two weeks later, at the Summer Nationals in College Park, he became the first man to win five individual titles at a U.S. national championship meet.
Other than taking two days off last week to have his wisdom teeth removed, Phelps has been training twice a day for the past three weeks, resuming the preparation that should make him one of the most decorated athletes at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
The NBAC's Senior Elite Group added an Olympian to its roster last week when Canadian Marianne Limpert, 30, joined the club.
Formerly based in Montreal, Limpert was a silver medalist in the 200 individual medley at the 1996 Olympics, and finished fourth in 2000.
She is attempting to become the first Canadian female swimmer to qualify for four Olympics.
