In his latest interview, Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian in history, talks of motivation, the people and partnerships that made the difference, those who inspired and challenged him and his goals in and out of the race pool.

The interview, part of the month-long Speedo Dubai 2010 Special in collaboration with SwimNews.com, provides insight into the nature of Phelps' journey. A man with 14 Olympic gold medals in his treasury, London 2012 will mark his Games swansong but the journey will continue: he intends the ripples of his majestic career and work with coach Bob Bowman to flow long after he has hung up his goggles.

Phelps makes it clear from the outset that, despite doubts expressed by others about his commitment, he is working towards targets he has set himself for the World Championships in Shanghai next year and the London 2012 Olympic Games. He cites Ian Crocker, Ian Thorpe, Pieter Van Den Hoogenband and Ryan Lochte as the toughest folk he has ever raced, while emphasising that race day is all about concentrating on self, not others. 

Growing up, Phelps aspired to the great Pablo Morales, 1992 Olympic champion over 100m butterfly and a man who after held the world record going into 1988 trials, missed the cut, quit, came back and fulfilled a lifetime ambition, his success dedicated to his late  mother. The tale is one of the finest in the history of swimming.

For Phelps, big race day is what it has all been about and the competitive challenge remains the priority for the coming two years but Phelps has the future in mind too and talks of his drive to make a difference for aquatics sports for many years to come through his work at the Michael Phelps Foundation, the Swim Schools that bear his name and The Level Field Fund. 

The interview

Michael, you've referred several times this year to a need to get back into a full and dedicated training regime. Has that moment arrived and where are you right now in your preparations for the world championships in Shanghai next July?

Obviously 2010 wasn’t one of my best years in the pool, but I know where I am at and where I need to get to with my training in order to accomplish the goals that I have for Shanghai and, ultimately, London. 

After the great build-ups of 2004's Olympic campaign, the 2008 Olympic campaign and then the dramas of Rome, was it essential for 2010 to be a cooling off year if you're to find the drive needed to achieve your London 2012 ambitions?

Obviously it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to prepare yourself for the Olympics; I had very specific goals for both 2004 and 2008 and that will be the same for 2012. But my goals are not limited to results in the pool; they extend outside the pool as well. One of the biggest goals has always been to help grow the sport of swimming. I think there are a lot of different ways that I can help do that and they are not limited to training and competing. I have spent a lot of time and energy since Beijing and Rome working on initiatives outside the pool that can help make a difference over the long term, like developing and launching programs through my Foundation (www.michaelphelpsfoundation.org) and Swim Schools (www.mpswimschools.com). We are working on some great programs through both that I believe will benefit the sport beyond my competitive days. 

In your work with coach Bob Bowman, are you doing anything new that you've never tried before, or is it a question of sticking with what you know works best?

I think it’s a bit of both. We’ve never been afraid to dabble with different things in training or work on new techniques. We are both very competitive so we are always striving to prepare as best we can. One thing we are definitely going to work with is the new swim spas we helped developed with Master Spas. The signature model is two feet longer and 10 inches deeper so we can do every stroke in the swim spa, and it comes with an underwater camera that we’ll be able to use for stroke and body positional analysis like never before. 

Describe how you feel when you emerge from the hardest of training sessions?

Exhausted, awful and a few other words that I’ll refrain from sharing. But as bad as I may feel physically, mentally it’s a great feeling to accomplish a really hard training session. Bob and I always talk about making deposits in the bank, and that’s what those sessions are. We are making deposits in the bank that we can withdraw from come competition time. 

What leaves you smiling in training?

You mean besides pushing Bob’s buttons? It always feels good to have a productive practice; you have specific goals that you are trying to achieve and it all comes down to your training. So while you may not be smiling on the outside, deep down you know you’re on the right path in preparing to swim at your best at the most critical times. 

Can you name three of your biggest opponents and tell us what makes them so tough?

I have had a lot of tough competitors over the years and some of my biggest opponents change throughout the years. I’ll always appreciate the battles I had with Ian Crocker, we had some of the greatest 100 fly races in history. Also, swimming against Thorpe and Van den Hoogenband in Athens and obviously Lochte is a big competitor (and friend). But for me, it really comes down to my training and preparation. When I’m on the blocks, I’m not thinking about anyone else. I’m just focused on doing what I need to do, doing what I have been training to do, and trust that the rest will take care of itself.

The Michael Phelps Foundation runs a number of initiatives. Can you tell us briefly what  im, Level Field Fund and Caps for a Cause are all about?

Yeah, I am really excited about the programs my Foundation has launched. It’s been a lot of work and there have been a lot of people involved, but it’s great that we are starting to see our efforts come to life. im is a national program we developed in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, KidsHealth.org, and the Michael Phelps Swim Schools. The program encourages healthy and active lifestyles for Boys & Girls Club members by offering water safety courses, recreational pool activities, swim training, as well as health and wellness education. We launched it back in the Spring and the reports we are getting back are extremely positive, 

The Level Field Fund (www.levelfieldfund.org) is a grant-giving program that helps  fill gaps in funding for talented athletes who are in financial need. I want to help make sure we don’t lose talented swimmers because of a lack of money. Earning a spot on the national team is tough enough, but many athletes face challenges with covering their costs for training and competitions.  So through m Foundation, we committed $100,000 to help establish Level Field Fund-Swimming to provide qualified swimmers financial assistance so they can pursue their dreams.

Through the Caps for a Cause Program, my Foundation donates autographed swim caps to non-profit organizations committed to growing the sport of swimming and encouraging children to live healthy, active lives.

You're still an athlete yourself, with many demands on your time, but do you play a role at the Michael Phelps Swim School?

There are a lot of demands on my time, which I have to balance with my training. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by some great people both in and out of the pool. People like Cathy Lears who taught me how to swim and now heads up the MP Swim School “Learn to Swim” program, which is the same program that she taught me to swim on. It’s definitely a balancing act but my focus will be on Shanghai and London while the others around handle the day-to-day activities.  

Do you enjoy working with kids and do you learn anything from it?

Absolutely, I love working with kids, I’m a kid at heart myself. I always enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to meet and interact with kids. I have worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs since 2003 and have also worked with different children through great organizations like Pathfinders for Autism, Make-A-Wish, Special Olympics and now through my Foundation. 

Beyond being an athlete there for much of your career, what's your involvement in the North Baltimore Aquatic Club and what does the club mean to you?

NBAC is like my second home. Growing up, if my sisters and I weren’t at home, more than likely we would be at Meadowbrook. Outside of my time in Ann Arbor between Athens and Beijing, I’ve spent my entire career swimming at Meadowbrook and wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Have you got three tips for parents setting out on a journey as a swimming family?

I think the main thing is to be supportive and loving, no matter what the results are. And make sure they are having fun. Also, I think it’s really important to leave the coaching to the Coach, that’s why the coach is there. My mom comes to almost all my meets, but as a spectator and mother, to show her support. She leaves the coaching to Bob.  

And what advice would give to youngsters who look up to you as an inspiration in their own lives?

I always tell children to Dream, Plan, Reach. At a young age, Bob and I outlined a plan to pursue my dream of making it to the Olympics. It takes personal responsibility and discipline to adhere to a plan day-to-day. Then you need courage to reach for it. I hope I am able to inspire children to follow their passion and chase their own dreams.  

Heroes of sport. Who are your top 3 and why?

In swimming, I have always looked up to Pablo Morales. Growing up, I had his poster on my wall. I always admired how great he was around his fans. Outside of swimming, Michael Jordan has been a big source of inspiration. I always admired how he changed the sport of basketball, which in many ways is where my desires to grow swimming comes from. 

Is there a goal left that would take you to somewhere you have never been before - and as far as you can say, what's the nature of that goal?

I have many goals, both in and out of the pool, and they are constantly evolving. Buy my goal, as I mentioned previously, has always been to grow the sport of swimming.  It wasn’t that long ago when you couldn’t find swimming on TV or people giving it much thought outside of the Olympics. I think we’ve made great strides over the last few years and I’m excited about the opportunities to further advance the sport in the years to come. 

When looking back at your phenomenal career, with success in every passing year in the past 10 and the best record in world sport in some of the years in between, some ask: what still drives you and is there anything left to achieve? What's your answer?

My goals are what drive me, which is why they are constantly evolving. I set very specific goals for Worlds in Melbourne and the Beijing Olympics, and while the program I swam was the same, my goals were not. Just like my goals for Shanghai will not be the same as London. When all is said and done, I want to be able to look back and say that I accomplished everything I set out to do.

Beyond your own dedication and hard work, who are the people who have played the most important role in your successes and what was it that they brought to the party?

There are a lot of people I thank for supporting me and helping me get to where I am today. I owe so much to my mom, who has played a significant role in all my success. Thanks to her sacrifices, and constant love and support, I was able to chase my dreams. Also to Bob who has played such a huge role in my career. He recognized my talent at an early age and since then, we have been working together to set goals and achieve those goals. 

Do you already known your programme for the Shanghai 2011 world titles or will that be decided nearer to the US trials?

We’ll just have to wait and see. I’ve got some work to do between now and Shanghai. 

Why no Dubai this year, will you be watching and is there something specific you'll be keeping a keen eye on?

Actually, I guess many people don’t realize this, but I haven’t swum in SC Worlds since 2004.  Of course, I’m always keeping an eye on the various meets and the times people swim. Our sport has come a long way and it’s exciting to see the further development of the veterans and the emergence of the up and comers.

Will you miss not being with the team and what does "team" mean to you?

It really is an honor to wear the Stars and Stripes and represent Team USA. One of my favorite parts about the major meets is that we do get to compete as a team. I take so much pride in being part of a relay; it’s not about one individual, it’s about us as a team. And just as we enter the meet as a team, we win and lose as a team, and we go home as a team.

And finally, you find yourself banished to a desert island for a year - what five things would you have to have with you (no people or pets allowed).

That’s a tough question; I would say my blackberry, Ravens jersey, TV, my first Olympic medal and my favorite foods.