MICHAEL PHELPS ISN'T FISHING FOR A NEW GIRLFRIEND

HERO: Olympian Michael Phelps in London this weekend

Tuesday August 26,2008

MICHAEL Phelps may have won the hearts of millions watching his jaw-dropping performances in the pool in Beijing but the US star says he has no time for a girlfriend.

Michael, whose eight wins took his Olympic gold haul to 14, admits he is the romantic type but says there is no special girl back home in Baltimore waiting to congratulate him.

“I am 23 now and if I went out with a girl she wouldn’t see much of me until I get past 30,” he told us at the London Olympics party.

“My main aim in life is to swim faster. I am going to do even better things in London in four years’ time.”

But the 6ft 4in sportsman is keeping his size 14 feet firmly on the ground. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he smiled. “Swimming in front of all those people. Winning all those medals…I can’t quite believe it.”

Also at the bash was silver medal-winning triple jumper Phillips Idowu who, despite being the current Commonwealth Games champion and World and European Indoor champion, was feeling surprisingly flat.

“I was so disappointed to get a silver,” admitted the London-born star. “I wanted gold. I am a winner. I don’t like losing.”

Luckily, the 30-year-old has his own special woman helping him to stay strong – his mother Osmasomye.

“It’s hard for me to understand it but she seems really proud,” he added. “She told me, ‘Be grateful for what you’ve got and try to make the best of it’.”

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