Michael Phelps has done what no other athlete has ever done at an Olympics game. He's won eight gold medals in one Olympics, and now owns 14 gold medals over two games. Many athletes spend their entire lives dedicated to winning just one. Phelps is blessed with the skill and ability to compete in so many swimming disciplines to be able to make an attempt to rack up the medals. He's not only done the incredible, winning eight gold medals in Beijing, he set seven world records in the process.
His closest race was against Milorad Cavic in the 100m butterfly, which he won by a hundreth of a second. It was also the one race in which he, or his relay team, didn't set a world record. However, his time was good enough for a personal best and an Olympic record.
Phelps' domination at the pool was such that it had former and current Olympians shaking their head in awe at what he was doing at the pool. I can't blame them.
No one had ever seen what Phelps had done before. Not even Mark Spitz, the previous record holder at 7 gold medals in one games (Munich 1972). Spitz has been very gracious in speaking about Phelps and the record chase. Good on him.
Here's the scary part.
Phelps is 23, and could conceivably race again in 2012 in London.
In the meantime, swimming officials hope that Phelps will use his new found fame and fortune to increase the exposure of the sport to more people. I hope so too. He'll definitely cash in with his gold medal haul with endorsement deals and other opportunities.
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