Swimming-Phelps has limited ambition one year on from Beijing

By Steve Keating

INDIANAPOLIS, July 6 (Reuters) - Michael Phelps, who 12 months ago was targeting an Olympic record eight gold medals, was this week pondering only the goal of making the U.S. world championship team.

Much has changed for Phelps in a tumultuous 12 months.

After scaling new heights in Beijing, the 24-year-old swimmer tumbled from grace, falling so hard he pondered retirement during a three-month ban from USA Swimming for being photographed inhaling from a pipe used for smoking marijuana.

But a motivated Phelps is back in the pool set to face his first true test since the Beijing Games at the U.S. Nationals, which also serve as the qualifying event for the world championships in Rome.

It seems inconceivable a swimmer in his prime with 14 Olympic and 17 world championship gold medals and a raft of world records should be concerned about such routine matters as earning a spot on the U.S. team.

But these trials hold fear for Phelps as he continues his transition from all-rounder to sprinter.

New events, a new stroke and a return to competition that has produced nearly as many defeats as victories, left Phelps cautioning that there were no guarantees he will secure spots in all four events he will contest in Indianapolis, the 100 and 200 metres freestyle and 100 and 200m butterfly.

In order to book his ticket to Rome and his fifth world championships, Phelps must place among the top two in each event at the Natatorium.