Baltimore Bullet ready to fire at world titles

AMERICAN superstar Michael Phelps yesterday sent a warning to his rivals, including Australian Grant Hackett, declaring he expects to “swim fast” at the world championships.

The 20-year-old will return to the international stage with a new program after confirming his status as the world’s hottest swimmer with an eight-medal haul at last year’s Olympic Games.

Phelps returned from Athens with four individual gold – the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley – a bronze in the 200m freestyle and three relay medals.

But this year the Baltimore Bullet has taken on a fresh challenge.

He had dropped two of his world record events, the 200m butterfly and 400m medley, and added two new events, the 100m freestyle and 400m freestyle.

The new program means Phelps will go head-to-head with Hackett in two races – the 400m freestyle, on Sunday, and the 200m freestyle next week.

It was at the Barcelona world championships two years ago when Phelps became the first swimmer to break five individual world records.