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The Road to Sydney: Michael Phelps, 15 Years Young, Joins American Swim Team

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BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: This time next month, the Summer Games will be underway down under. In our series "On the Road to Sydney" this morning, we meet the youngest male swimmer to make the American team in almost 70 years. Michael Phelps joins us live from Baltimore this morning, 15 years young.

And Michael, good morning.

MICHAEL PHELPS, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: Good morning.

HEMMER: What do you do for an encore?

PHELPS: Nothing, really.

HEMMER: Yes? And listen, congratulations, really super stuff. How did you feel when you knew you made the team, did it surprise you at all?

PHELPS: I guess -- no -- not really, because I thought I could do it. And when I went in I was just thinking about doing the best that I could.

HEMMER: So you kind of knew the competition feeling you could compete right along with them?

PHELPS: Yes. I did another competition because I swam against the same people earlier in the year.

HEMMER: I see. Now you just turned 15, right?

PHELPS: Yes.

HEMMER: Six weeks ago? And you're going to be a sophomore this year at Towson High School in Maryland, I understand you told the school newspaper there a little something. What did you tell them in a recent interview there at school?

PHELPS: I told -- the school -- I told them that I wanted to get top three at nationals and that I wanted to make the Olympic team.

HEMMER: Was it a little more clear than that, though? Didn't you predict that indeed you would make the team or not?

PHELPS: I don't think so.

HEMMER: OK. OK. Ever hear of a guy named Ralph Flanagan?

PHELPS: Never heard of him.

HEMMER: OK. Ralph Flanagan in 1932 was the previous youngest swimmer to ever make the team. How does it feel when you consider your age?

PHELPS: Umm...

HEMMER: Blow you away a little bit?

PHELPS: It feels pretty good I think.

HEMMER: Michael, when did you start training for this moment?

PHELPS: I've been training for the past -- it usually takes about four years to train for the Olympics. So I guess it was '96 I started.

HEMMER: I understand your family is a family of swimmers? Tell us about that.

PHELPS: Yes, my sister won the nationals and that was on world team, and she was that the '96 trials, but she was first going into the night, and then didn't do so great at night.

HEMMER: Well, butterfly is your specialty and we wish you the best of luck.

PHELPS: Thank you.

HEMMER: A true honor. Enjoy Sydney, OK?

PHELPS: OK.

HEMMER: All right. Michael Phelps there live in Baltimore, 15 years young on the Olympic team, congratulations again.

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