Phelps loses by 2 seconds to simulated shark in 'Shark Week'
Posted July 24, 2017 7:00 am
Michael Phelps has finally met his match in the water: a "great white shark."
The Olympic champion swimmer was bested Sunday night in the Discovery Channel's Shark Week special "Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White."
But Phelps didn't swim with a real shark. He competed in the ocean against a computer-simulated fish based on data on the swimming speed of sharks.
Phelps was outfitted with a wetsuit and a monofin to mimic a shark's powerful tail. He finished the 100 meter race in 38 seconds, two seconds slower than the simulated shark.
Phelps tweeted Sunday that he'd like a rematch, but in warmer water.
FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, file photo, the fin of a great white shark is seen swimming a past research boat in the waters off Gansbaai, South Africa. Olympic champion Michael Phelps lost to a simulated shark in the Discovery Channelâs Shark Week special âPhelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White,â which aired July 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)
The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.