GOLD COAST, Australia -- Michael Phelps got a reminder of just how challenging his return to international competition may be when he was asked whether he was good enough to even reach a final at the Pan Pacific Championships this week. Abel Aguilar Jersey . "Wow, youre really setting the bar high for me!" the most decorated swimmer of all time joked in reply. Sitting beside him at a news conference Wednesday, Phelps long-time coach Bob Bowman chipped in: "Reality check there." The Pan Pacs start Thursday and run through the weekend. Its stage two of Phelps comeback from retirement -- the first was qualifying for the U.S. team. Now Bowman is predicting Phelps will lower his best times in his butterfly, medley and freestyle, saying the challenge of going faster was the only reason the 18-time Olympic champion came back to the sport. Phelps qualified by finishing second in the 200-meter medley and the 100 butterfly at the U.S. nationals, and will be swimming in his first international meet since coming out of retirement four months ago with the aim of competing again at the world titles and Olympics. Only the top two swimmers from each country qualify for the finals, so Phelps is going to be under pressure from his American teammates in the morning preliminaries, and from the best swimmers from Australia, Japan, Canada, Brazil and other Pacific countries in the evening finals. Hell start with the 100 freestyle on Friday, which will feature seven Americans in the heats. Hell also contest the 100 butterfly, the 200 medley and potentially some relays. Phelps didnt win any of his four events at the U.S. nationals, although his times in the 200 IM and the butterfly were both among the fastest three in the world this year. He was unhappy with his freestyle, where his finish let him down. He said it was the kind of mistake an 11-year-old would make. Phelps, who won eight of his 18 Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, said he was "kind of rusty on judging the speed going into my walls," and described his turns as "awful." "Those were the big things that I guess I forgot how to do," he said. "Not winning, it is what it is -- I hate to lose -- but I always do understand its not going to come back instantly. "I would rather have those instances now than farther down the road. World championships is next year ... Olympics the year after that. Hopefully Ill be able to fix the things now." The U.S. team had a setback ahead of the competition, with Olympic and world champion Missy Franklin in doubt after hurting her back in training. Team USA spokesman Scott Leightman said Franklin had back spasms during practice Tuesday. The 19-year-old Franklin was resting at the team hotel after medical staff controlled the spasms and issued a statement later Wednesday saying she was feeling better with every hour and still hopeful of competing. Leightman said Franklin, who won both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke at the 2012 Olympics and claimed six golds at the world championships last year, would be re-evaluated before the preliminaries of the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle on Thursday. The Australian team is primed for a big performance at home after a winning the swimming competition at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The competition will be held outdoors at the Gold Coast Aquatic Center, site of the 2018 Commonwealth Games swimming, and rain forecast for later in the week is giving swimmers something extra to think about. Phelps said it would be a novel experience for him. His friend and long-time rival, Ryan Lochte, said he grew up in Florida and was used to competing in rain. "You have to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. The coaches told us about the weather conditions -- were all prepared for it," he said. Lochte and Phelps have long dominated the 200 IM, but arent even seeded No. 1 at the Pan Pacs. Japans Kosuke Hagino has the fastest time of the year and his teammate Diaya Seto is also a contender. "Its no longer just me and Michael. Its definitely become a bigger event, and bigger race," Lochte said. If Franklin is ruled out, more attention on the U.S. womens team will centre on 17-year-old Katie Ledecky, who broke the 400 freestyle world record at the nationals and now holds world marks in the 400, 800 and 1,500. "I can improve. I got some good work in after nationals. Im really excited to see what I can do here," Ledecky said. Yerry Mina Jersey .C. -- Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is resigning after 13 seasons at the school. Jose Fernando Cuadrado Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. http://www.nationalcolombiafootball.com/wilmar-barrios-colombia-jersey/ . -- Jane Kish stopped all 25 shots she faced as the Weyburn Gold Wings blanked the Sudbury Lady Wolves 3-0 on Friday to advance to the gold-medal game at the Esso Cup.TRIESTE, Italy -- Nairo Quintana showed why hes considered as cyclings next star by winning the Giro dItalia on Sunday to follow his runner-up finish in last years Tour de France. The 24-year-old climbing specialist with the Movistar team won two stages and finished with a 2 minute, 58 second advantage over fellow Colombian Rigoberto Uran for his first Grand Tour victory. "Its really emotional," Quintana said. "I didnt think there would be so many Colombians here today. It was incredible seeing how much support and how many banners there were." One such banner held aloft during the podium celebration with the Colombian flag on it read, "The Giro is ours. Gracias muchachos." Fabio Aru, a 23-year-old Italian who is also considered a top rider for the future, finished third overall, 4:04 back. Quintana took the pink jersey by winning the grueling 16th stage over the Gavia and Stelvio climbs then also took the 19th leg, a mountain time trial. Quintana finished second to Chris Froome in last years Tour. While he isnt planning to enter the French race this year, he has designs on winning it next year. "We need to look at our plans carefully," Quintana said. Slovenias Luca Mezgec won the final stage in a mass sprint. The Giant-Shimano rider clocked 4 hours, 23 minutes, 58 seconds over the mostly flat 172-kilometre (107-mile) leg from Gemona del Friuli to Trieste, which concluded with eight laps of a city circuit. "It couldnt be a better day than this. Were close to Slovenia," Mezgec said. Giacomo Nizzolo of Italy finished second and Tyler Farrar of the United States was third, both with the same time as Mezgec. Luis Muriel Jersey. Dressed entirely in pink, Quintana finished safely in the middle of the pack and pumped his fist as he crossed the line then hugged his teammates when he got off his bike. "I can finally say Ive won the Giro," Quintana said. "I have to thank my teammates and my family here supporting me." During the playing of the Colombian anthem, Quintana held his pink-clad daughter Mariana, who was born in February. Quintana faced controversy after the 16th stage, in which he attacked on the descent from the Stelvio then powered up the final climb in the lead. There had been some confusion over whether the descent on a wet road was going to be neutralized but race officials declared afterward that his victory was legitimate. Quintana is the first Colombian to win the race -- and with Uran, it was a sweep of the top two spots. Another Colombian, Julian Arredondo, won the mountains classification. Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos travelled to Quintanas hometown of Combita to watch the final stage with dozens of friends and neighbours of the cyclist, who was raised in the high Andean town of 16,000 by a family of peasant farmers. Dressed in the pink colour of the tour leaders jersey and surrounded by fans holding signs like "Nairo: all of Colombia loves and thanks you," Santos said the Quintanas victory was an inspiration to millions of Colombians. "I feel like the entire country is supporting me," Quintana said numerous times during the three-week race. China Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL T-shirts Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '