Intro:

US swimmer Michael Phelps, winner of eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics four years ago, talks about the "emotionally draining week" ahead as he competes in seven events at the London Games.

Script:

If he can pick up three medals of any colour at the forthcoming Olympics, he will become the most decorated Olympian of all time.

27-year-old American swimmer Michael Phelps amassed six gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and another eight in Beijing, but says the London Olympics will be one of the toughest challenges of his career.

SOUNDBITE (English) US swimmer Michael Phelps:
"I think it's going to be a tough week emotionally, for everything, with this will be my last (Olympics) definitely, I've said that four years ago but this is real, so it's going to be a lot of those, I think it's going to be a tough week. The biggest thing I really have to focus on is my emotional energy and how I'm going to use it through the week, because I'm going to need a lot of it to get through."

One of Phelps' biggest rivals in London will remain fellow US swimmer Ryan Lochte. But Phelps was adamant that everyone competing has a chance of picking up an Olympic medal.

SOUNDBITE (English) US swimmer Michael Phelps:
"Ryan and I aren't just here racing each other, we're racing the whole world. There are swimmers from all over the world that have a chance to win a medal just like we do. So whoever's day is that day, he is going to win the medal."

Olympic swimming begins on Saturday.