(Video of race above.)

In the brief time he was in the pool between the end of his retirement and his DUI suspension, Michael Phelps appeared to be a shell of his former self. He like Michael Jordan playing with the Wizards. Willie Mays on the Mets. Nicolas Cage in every Nicolas Cage movie since The Rock. Phelps appeared to be going through the motions. You could almost hear him thinking: “Did I make the right move? Shoot, I could be on No. 10 at Parade Island right now.”

The explosion off the turns weren’t the same. The underwaters didn’t last as long. He finished like he was happy the wall was finally there rather than charging at it the way he used to. Even his stroke looked a little different, his legendary straight-arm butterfly replaced by more of a bend. By sheer talent alone, Phelps was still one of the best in the world and that ensured the comeback would be a success, but it didn’t appear as if his heart was truly in it.

That worry is gone. Phelps, 29, returned to the pool Thursday after his suspension and looked like his old self in the 100 fly– late off the block, emerging first from the underwater off the turn and moving full speed into the finish, hitting the wall at the exact number of strokes. He was ready and it showed.

There were differences, of course. Phelps was about 2.5 seconds off his world-record time in the event, but that’s to be expected in an unimportant, non-taper meet in April. He also hit the wall first at the 50, something he rarely does in the 100 fly. Comebacks are usually more his thing: Remember this race?

But Phelps’ win, which was over Ryan Lochte albeit in one of Lochte’s non-marquree events, proved something else: This is a swimmer who needs to be at the world championships in Russia this August. And if USA Swimming wants to stay stubborn about it, then FINA should step in and be the heroes. Michael Phelps may need swimming, but swimming needs him a lot more.

(AP)