RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Michael Phelps said Thursday that he has become more outspoken at the Rio Olympics as he embraces his role as a mentor to younger teammates.
The 31-year-old is competing at his fifth Games as he bids to extend his record at the most successful Olympian. But gold medals are not Phelps' only priority as he leads one of the USA's youngest ever Olympic swimming teams in Rio.
"I'm just probably more vocal and more outgoing now than I have been in the past," Phelps said after the heats of the 100m breaststroke, in which he qualified fourth fastest for the semifinals.
"We do have a very young team so anything I can teach them on my last couple of days as a US swimmer, I'm proud to do. It's a young, hungry team and I think that's something that is really special that I had the opportunity to be a part of in 2000."
Phelps singled out Chase Kalisz, who took the silver medal in the 400m individual medley on Saturday, as one to watch at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
"We are able to get these guys some swims at this level and I think it's something that hopefully is going to help them throughout their career," he said.
"It keeps them excited and hungry for another four years. I can say that's definitely how Chase is right now. Talking with him, he's one of the rookies I'm very close with. I feel like we have a lot of hungry kids who are pumped for the next four years."
Phelps also described as "special" the participation of refugees in Rio.
"I think it's great just having anybody who is able to compete in these Games," he said. "This is something that's very special, that no matter what's going on in the world we can all come together as one, in one village, competing in the same events. I think that's something that you don't get to see anywhere else."
