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Michael Phelps loses 100 fly at US Nationals

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Two events, two losses for Michael Phelps.

Tom Shields upset the three-time Olympic champion by a hundredth of a second to win the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. national championships Friday night.

Shields touched in 51.29 seconds, tying for the second-fastest time in the world this year. Phelps was second in 51.30 — still third-quickest in the world — but he lost for the second time in two events in the biggest meet since he launched a comeback in April after 1 1/2 years in retirement.

“I’m somebody who can’t stand to lose,” Phelps said. “I don’t care if it’s by a hundredth or by five seconds. This will definitely motivate me.”

Four of the seven quickest times in the world were recorded in the morning preliminaries, led by Phelps’ 51.17. But he couldn’t keep it together in the final against Shields, who won the 200 fly earlier in the meet.

“I knew I could make it a race, so I decided to go with confidence,” said Shields, who was cheered on by family and friends from his hometown of Huntington Beach.

Phelps is still likely to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the Pan Pacific Championships this month, but he could have guaranteed himself a trip to Australia with a win in the event that he calls “my baby.” He finished next-to-last in the 100 freestyle Wednesday.

The 18-time Olympic gold medalist has two events remaining this weekend.

Tim Phillips was third in 51.54. Ryan Lochte finished fifth in 52.21.

Phillips led after one lap, when Phelps was seventh. Known as a devastating closer, Phelps roared down the stretch, battling Shields every inch of the way as they swam next to each other.

“I knew in the last 15 (meters) it was going to be close,” Shields said. “I took one look. Phelps swims with these ridiculously high elbows.”

Phelps failed to take a final stroke and instead glided to the wall, where he got out-touched.

“It just cut all of my momentum,” he said.

Bob Bowman, Phelps’ coach, said, “It was pretty terrible.”

Phelps didn’t feel like his usual self walking on deck, while Shields confidently looked at the stands and then at his California teammates, who cheered him on during introductions.

“Normally I’m very relaxed and very ready,” Phelps said. “Like Bob said, it’s probably just because I’m not used to being in this kind of shape or this kind of feeling going into a meet.”

Bowman suggested Phelps was nervous, which may strike some as odd because he’s the most decorated Olympian, with 22 medals.

“It’s not fitness, but it’s the knowledge that he’s getting up here against these guys who are on fire,” the coach said. “He knows what he’s done to get here and it ain’t what he used to do to get here.”

Phelps knows it, too.

“If I want to go 50-point then I need more — I need more training, I need more endurance, I need to feel more comfort with my stroke,” he said. “There are just a lot of things that need to happen. I understand that.”

Elizabeth Beisel bounced back from some earlier bad luck to win her fourth national title in the 400 individual medley and earn a place on the Pan Pacs team. She was under American-record pace for much of the race before winning in 4:32.98 — fourth-quickest in the world. She won a silver medal in the event two years ago in London.

Beisel slipped at the start of the 200 backstroke on Thursday and ended up sixth.

Maya DiRado finished second in the IM in 4:35.75.

In the men’s 400 IM, Olympian Tyler Clary pulled away down the stretch to win with the world’s second-fastest time of 4:09.51. He built a big lead during his specialty backstroke leg before defending champion Chase Kalisz drastically cut into it.

Clary regained his momentum on the final freestyle leg and Kalisz settled for second in 4:11.52.

“Chase was reeling me in like a cowboy,” Clary said. “Just to be able to bring it home, I’m excited. He’s someone who’s obviously very valuable to swim against.”

Kendyl Stewart upset Olympian Claire Donahue to win the 100 fly in 57.98 and book a trip to her first major international meet. Stewart overtook Donahue in the final 10 meters. Donahue touched in 58.03.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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