King Midas Phelps’ Great Haul of China … Historic 8 For 8 - Relay Video Replaced But Could Get Pulled Soon As Well
History written: Phelps wins No. 8
BEIJING — A journey that started four years ago after his six gold medals in Athens and included 17 swims over nine days here ended triumphantly for Michael Phelps on Sunday.
Phelps earned his unprecedented eighth Olympic gold medal of the 2008 Olympics as he swam the butterfly leg of the Americans’ world-record win in the 4×100m medley relay to close out the swimming competition at the Water Cube.
Jason Lezak held off Eamon Sullivan of Australia in the freestyle leg, with the Americans finishing in 3:29.34. Australia took the silver in 3:30.04 and Japan the bronze.
Lezak said he was inspired by the celebrities on hand to watch history in the making.
“I looked up and I saw Kobe and LeBron, the best basketball players in the world. No way we were going to let those guys down,” he said.
Aaron Peirsol led off in the backstroke leg, Brendan Hansen swam the breast and Lezak anchored, the same three who won gold in Athens. Phelps swam the prelims of that race in Athens, giving up his finals spot to Ian Crocker. The American men have never lost the medley relay in the history of the Olympics.
“Hats off to this guy right here,” Peirsol said of Phelps in an NBC interview on the pool deck after the race. “He did something that’s never been done before. We’re happy to be a part of it.”
Hansen called Phelps’ 8-for-8 the greatest achievement in sports.
“Every single athlete in the world right now needs to tip their hat to Michael Phelps” he said.
Phelps tied Mark Spitz with his seventh gold medal a day earlier in the 100m butterfly, winning by the slimmest of margins, .01 of a second over Milorad Cavic.
His quest was almost derailed in Day 2 of the meet in the 4×100m free relay, but Lezak’s unbelievable anchor leg kept the quest alive. he touched ahead of Alain Bernard of France by .08.
Phelps set world records in seven of his eight swims, with only the 100m fly mark not broken. He also won the 400m IM, the 200m IM and the 200m fly, breaking his own world mark in each, and led off the 4×200m free relay.
It was nine days of magical moments for Phelps, and he said the collective effort is what he’ll remember most.
“Every race, from one to the other,” he said. “It’s the whole thing. It’s a great experience.”
Phelps wins 8th gold medal; breaks tie with Spitz
BEIJING - Cheering from the pool deck, Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games on Sunday to become the grandest of Olympic champions.
Jason Lezak held on to the lead Phelps gave him, anchoring the United States to a world record in the 400-meter medley relay against an Australian team that did its best to spoil history.
But Phelps, with a big hand from three teammates, would not be denied. He eclipsed Mark Spitz’s seven-gold performance at the 1972 Munich Games, an iconic performance that was surpassed by a swimmer fitting of this generation: a 23-year-old from Baltimore who loves hip-hop music and texting with his buddies.
Even though the Americans have never lost the medley relay at the Olympics, the latest gold was hardly a breeze. When Phelps dove into the water for the butterfly—the third of four legs—the Americans were third behind Japan and Australia.
But Phelps, swimming the same distance and stroke that he used to win his seventh gold a day earlier, powered back to the front on his return lap, passing off to Lezak with the Americans in front.
Australia’s Eamon Sullivan tried to chase Lezak down and appeared to be gaining as they came to the wall. But Lezak touched in 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds—Phelps’ seventh world record in his personal Great Haul of China.
The Aussies took silver in 3:30.04, also under the old world record, while Japan held on for the bronze.
(AP)
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Greatest Olympian Ever!!!
Congratulations Michael
August 16th, 2008 at 8:16 pmdamn straight!
China may own all of our countrys debt but we own all of their gold
August 16th, 2008 at 8:28 pmGood for you and congratulations.
Now do the right thing and endorse the last JihadiKiller in the POTUS race…
Sen. John McCain.
August 16th, 2008 at 8:31 pmAND what mike 3481 said!!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:33 pmHe the man.
August 16th, 2008 at 8:39 pm…I’m just wondering why Phelps refused to carry the American flag yesterday after winning his 7th gold. But congratulations on the 8th!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:50 pmThe flag was thrown from the stands and hit the ground, his discretion was admirable.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:44 pmThat flag needs to be retired with honors.
This is an honorable man.
4 years ago he swam the same program. He won 6 of 8. The two he lost showed his true meddle. The final medley relay he gave up his spot because he lost in the fly. Just as he would have this year if he lost in the 100m final.
He won, He qualified, He won with a better time.
Great achievement I thought I would never see.
Outstanding
August 16th, 2008 at 10:59 pmOkay, I’m happy. Michael Phelps held his hand over his heart (as did the three other members of the relay team) during the playing of the U.S. national anthem. And they held the American play while walking back from the awards ceremony. Little things like that are starting to mean a lot to me.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:32 am…In the past, I’ve been guilty of forgetting to place my hand over my heart during the playing of the U.S. national anthem. But no more.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:34 amThe video is no longer available on YouTube.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:04 amGo Phelps-he will soon be on a wheaties box.
August 17th, 2008 at 3:34 amRe: Video
I knew the thing hit the net too quickly, and you could tell by the backward mirror image it must’ve been from someone’s cell video, or some such.
Wondered how long it would last.
NBC’s being real stingy with their videos of these games …
August 17th, 2008 at 7:18 amstayed up till 5am to wat that one. it was awesome
August 17th, 2008 at 9:50 am…”American play” should have read “American flag” in my last post.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:23 pmDid no one else notice that Michael Phelps hung his 8th gold medal OVER our flag, whereas his team mates had the flag over their medals? No other symbol is supposed to be above the Stars and Stripes. A little hubris perhaps?
August 20th, 2008 at 12:41 pm