I have no desire to comeback: Michael Phelps

New York, September 20: Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps said he has "no desire" to return to competitive swimming.

"For me, it's about being happy where I am and happy where my family is," Phelps said. "We have more goals we want to accomplish outside the sport," AP quoted Phelps as saying.

His wife, Nicole, is about four months pregnant. The couple already have a 16-month-old son, Boomer.

"I've got no desire, no desire, to come back," the 32-year-old Phelps said.

Phelps has attended a handful of swimming meets since the Rio Games, where the winningest athlete in Olympic history added to his already massive career haul by claiming five gold medals plus a silver.

He is excited to follow the development of his heir apparent, Caeleb Dressel, who emerged as the sport's newest star by winning seven gold medals at Budapest.

The 21-year-old Floridian joined Phelps and Mark Spitz as the only swimmers to accomplish that feat at a major international meet.

"I'm happy Caeleb decided to go off this year instead of last year," said Phelps, who won 23 golds and 28 medals overall in his Olympic career. "I'm kind of happy to see him swimming so well when I'm not there."

With Dressel and Katie Ledecky now leading the American team, the US is expected to remain the world's dominant swimming country heading into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Even without Phelps.

"It's time to kind of move on," he said, "and watch other people come into their own."