Michael Phelps Returns to Competition After DUI Suspension, Trans Dating Rumors

No matter what he does from here on out, Michael Phelps will likely still be known as the greatest Olympian athlete ever. At the moment though, he isn't even the best swimmer in the pool. Phelps has returned to competition after serving a brief suspension for a DUI. This latest news follows tabloid reports that Phelps was secretly dating a transgendered woman.

The swimmer knows that he will have to work hard to regain his stature as world's best. Competing at only his second event since the suspension, Phelps knew that his body and mind weren't in the shape needed to live up to his standard. With more time in the season, he feels that he will be able to regain form. Beinsports.net has Phelps' self-assessment after the match:

"My turns are pretty terrible tonight, it's frustrating. But it is at the end of the year [that matters]. In the present moment, it is tough at times."

Although his body isn't responding yet to his return to competition, his mind is in mid-season form. NBC Sports Olympic Talk tells of Phelps desire for a better all-around performance in the pool:

"What I want most is to be racing the competition I need to be racing. Not taking away anything from the B heat [consolation finals Phelps raced in Sunday], but I want to race Ryan [Lochte] and those guys."

Another stipulation of his suspension was that he would not be able to compete in this year's Swimming World Championships. Phelps let OlmpicTalk know that he is fine with that because of his slow return to competitive racing:

"After seeing the performance of some of the people that we've seen this weekend, I think it's probably a good thing that I'm not going to Worlds."

The drive behind the greatest Olympian ever should be able to bring him back in to contention with the world's best, while building up his momentum towards another run at Olympic gold.

Do you think Phelps will be able to fully regain his dominance over competitive swimming? Will Phelps compete in the next Olympics? Tell us what you think below.