Michael Phelps' 8 gold medals make Olympic history

The golden boy of swimming has done it, completing his goal of winning eight (8) gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and establishing himself as the greatest swimmer in Olympic Games history. He not only surpassed Mark Spitz's 36-year old record for the most gold medals in a single Olympics but amassed the most number of golds by any individual in the Games' history. This is a feat that didn't remain unnoticed even to the IOC as they made an unprecedented gesture by awarding Michael Phelps a special recognition during the medal ceremonies in the 4x100m medley relay, the last swimming event of this year's games. “The Beijing Olympics has witnessed the greatest Olympian of all time— Michael Phelps of the USA,” the announcer said as Phelps posed on the deck with his teammates.

But the goal of eight gold medals was in peril several times during the Games. In the 4x100m freestyle relay, team USA almost settled for the silver medal were it not for the homestretch heroics of Jason Lezak in the anchor leg who gave it all to beat France's world record-holder Alain Bernard to the wall (see attached video). In the 100m butterfly, Phelps won by the narrowest of margins, beating Serbia's Milorad Cavic by one-hundredth of a second! Midway through the swim I thought Michael Phelps was a goner as he made the turn in seventh place. I', sure many of those who watched had the same thoughts. But the golden boy shifter to overdrive and overtook the disappointed Serbian to the cheers of the Water Cube gallery.

I had the same worries as I watched his eighth quest today. For a while there, the Japanese and the Australian swimmers looked threatening, especially in the breaststroke leg. But once Michael Phelps swam the butterfly leg and handed the lead to Jason Lezak for the freestyle anchor leg, his eighth gold medal and his place in sports history was sealed. An awesome feat that may take many years, if at all, to equalize, much less surpass.

Some say it is his destiny, and his unbeliveable winning moments on the brink of defeat prove it. Others say it is a combination of many factors, with talent, perseverance, hard work and luck at the forefront. It may be all these, but the man of the moment has something more to add to this list.

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“Nothing is impossible,” Phelps said. “With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination, and that’s something I learned and something that helped me.”

postscript: I found a wonderful article on Michael Phelps and his family: A Phelps Family Portrait, Tinged with Gold.

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