Tribute to Michael Phelps: The Greatest Olympian ever

dexa

Is Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever?
By Chris Chase



Michael Phelps just completed the greatest Olympic performance in history. That is (or should be) without debate. But does Phelps' dominance in Athens and Beijing put him atop the list of greatest Olympians ever?

It's too early to tell, since Phelps likely isn't finished winning Olympic medals. If he returns in 2012 at the London Games and wins, say, five more medals, then there will be no question that he should be hailed as the top Olympian of all-time. If Phelps retired tomorrow though, one could still make a compelling case on his behalf.

The naysayers claim that because Phelps is a swimmer, somehow his accomplishments aren't as impressive. (One column, ridiculously, even goes so far as to say that it's "easy to win multiple medals in swimming.") Because swimming has so many racing opportunities, they say, medals are cheapened. Rubbish.

Of the 20 men who have won the most Olympic medals, only three (Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi) were swimmers. Gymnasts dominate the top 20.  If winning swimming medals was so easy, swimmers should theoretically be all over that list.

Even if they did, though, Phelps' versatility renders that argument moot. Just because all swimming strokes take place in a pool doesn't mean they're the same. Phelps won at three different distances - 100, 200 and 400 meters -- in Beijing. It's the swimming equivalent of a runner pulling the 200, 400 and 800 triple. That's never been attempted in any Olympics, let alone accomplished.

Phelps also won golds in three different strokes, a feat made even more impressive considering he was competing in those events with stroke specialists who gear their entire training toward that one discipline. That he had to swim a staggering 17 races in eight days is also not to be overlooked.

After his extraordinary performance in Beijing, Michael Phelps earned a spot on the list of all-time Olympic greats. Four years from now, he'll likely sit alone at the top.


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a stunning performance -- extraordinary and just wanna tribute a thread to
this great athlete -

in fact today - he's awarded the 'legend' by IOC - for his impressive achievement
in this 2008 Beijing Olympic -

for me - he is pele of soccer, bjorn borg of tennis and jordan of basketball

wtg michael phelps - a fantastic accomplishment -

[ Last edited by  dexa at 20-8-2008 08:46 PM ]

fredbok87

kumang

absolutely

ColbyRaikkonen

Okaylah...

tapi....SWIMMING mmg bole masuk banyak acara....that's why la boleh produce banyak gold dalam satu olimpik games...

Macammana pemenang angkat berat,,,,,atau taekwando....atau yg mana boelh masuk 1 acara ajer nak jadi greatest olimpian??? Even acara balapan pun susah....
yg lari 100 m, 200 m, 4 X100, 4 X 200.....baru 4 acara...

I think....the more IMPRESSIVE ones....ialah yg berjaya dapatkan EMAS untuk 3 Olimpik berturut turut...ataupun 4 olimpik...
Contohnya jika acara Angkat berat tue....dia boleh maintain THE BEST untuk 3, atau 4 olimpik.....
Aku rasa mmg best olimpian la...

Contoh Grant HAcket....yg nak mng emas kali 3...acara yg sama....kalau dia berjaya hari tue...dah boleh anggap greatest olimpian kot....sebab susah kan nak buattt...

PHELPS.....4 tahun lepas dah menang 6 emas....sekarang 8 emas....so, kalau 4tahun akan datang, dia boleh lagi menang EMAS.......then, aku akan anggap dia menang GREATEST OLYMPIAN...

ColbyRaikkonen

Okaylah...

tapi....SWIMMING mmg bole masuk banyak acara....that's why la boleh produce banyak gold dalam satu olimpik games...

Macammana pemenang angkat berat,,,,,atau taekwando....atau yg mana boelh masuk 1 acara ajer nak jadi greatest olimpian??? Even acara balapan pun susah....
yg lari 100 m, 200 m, 4 X100, 4 X 200.....baru 4 acara...

I think....the more IMPRESSIVE ones....ialah yg berjaya dapatkan EMAS untuk 3 Olimpik berturut turut...ataupun 4 olimpik...
Contohnya jika acara Angkat berat tue....dia boleh maintain THE BEST untuk 3, atau 4 olimpik.....
Aku rasa mmg best olimpian la...

Contoh Grant HAcket....yg nak mng emas kali 3...acara yg sama....kalau dia berjaya hari tue...dah boleh anggap greatest olimpian kot....sebab susah kan nak buattt...

PHELPS.....4 tahun lepas dah menang 6 emas....sekarang 8 emas....so, kalau 4tahun akan datang, dia boleh lagi menang EMAS.......then, aku akan anggap dia menang GREATEST OLYMPIAN...

dexa

Phelps memang hebat: Trickett

REKOD menakjubkan lapan emas milik Michael Phelps menghapuskan halangan untuk semua perenang dan menjadi sesuatu yang mustahil kini mampu digapai, menurut pemegang rekod dunia acara pecut wanita dari Australia, Libby Trickett, semalam.

Bintang Amerika Syarikat itu jadi bualan di Olimpik Beijing selepas memenangi tujuh daripada lapan emasnya dengan rekod baru dunia, kecuali 100m kuak kupu-kupu dimenanginya dengan jurang 0.01 saat hasil catatan masa terbaik peribadi.

Sepanjang laluan gemilang itu, Phelps mengatasi rekod tujuh emas Mark Spitz dalam satu temasya Olimpik 1972 dan dia kini punya emas Olimpik terbanyak, dengan 14 pingat, berbanding atlit lainnya.

揗emang istimewa untuk terbabit dalam sukan renang pada era perenang lelaki terhebat bertanding dan untuk berpeluang melihat apa yang dilakukannya adalah sesuatu yang menakjubkan,

harakirie

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 2:25 pm EDT

The mystery of Michael Phelps' missing father
By Chris Chase

During Michael Phelps' races, camera shots of his mother Debbie were a fixture on NBC. The network showed endless replays of her falling to her seat after that memorable 100 butterfly finish. She even watched one race on camera with Cris Collinsworth, squeezing his knee the entire time. And after her son won his eighth gold medal, Debbie was all over NBC getting interviewed by Bob Costas, Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. Michael's sisters, Hilary and Whitney were also in Beijing cheering on their little brother. All this coverage of the Phelps family led to one obvious question from our readers: Where was Dad?

It's been well-documented that Debbie and Fred Phelps divorced when Michael was 9. Beyond that, little else has been publicized about Michael Phelps' father. Enter: Fourth-Place Medal's Investigative Unit. Today the FPMIU looks into the mystery of the whereabouts of Michael Phelps' father.

Fred Phelps is a retired Maryland State Trooper, lives in a suburb of Baltimore and has remarried since divorcing Debbie Phelps in 1993. According to the Baltimore Sun, he watched the Olympics from his home, saying he was "on pins and needles" every time Michael dove into the pool. But, the New York Post reported that Fred has yet to call his son to congratulate him on his Olympic accomplishments.

Following the divorce, Fred Phelps had little contact with his son. Prior to the 2004 Olympics, Michael told a reporter that his father hadn't even called to congratulate him when he set his first world record. However, the two reconciled prior to the Athens Games and Fred even made the trip to watch his son win six golds and two bronzes. Since then, however, the relationship has reportedly fractured.

Fred Phelps declines most interview requests, citing a desire to have the focus remain on his son.

Mystery: solved.

naj13

how many athletes had actually attempted & won gold medals in all those events (lari 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x200m & 4x400m)? the answer is NONE

#1 post already sum up all my points

akulynn

dia pernah kena tahan memandu mabuk kan?

alexacarlos

Originally posted by naj13 at 21-8-2008 09:59 PM
how many athletes had actually attempted & won gold medals in all those events (lari 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x200m & 4x400m)? the answer is NONE

#1 post already sum up all my points

blom ade lg event nie kt Olimpik...

dexa

Phelps sedia cabar Bernard




ROM - Perenang sensasi Amerika Syarikat, Michael Phelps memberitahu, dia mungkin akan mencabar juara Olimpik dari Perancis, Alain Bernard dalam acara 100 meter gaya bebas pada Kejuaraan Dunia tahun depan.

Phelps mencipta rekod baru Sukan Olimpik apabila memenangi lapan pingat emas pada temasya di Beijing, sekali gus memadam rekod tujuh pingat emas yang dicipta Mark Spitz pada temasya 1972 di Munich.

Begitupun, Phelps mengakui acara 100m gaya bebas bukan acara pilihannya.

Pada temasya di Beijing, bekas pemegang rekod dunia, Bernard muncul juara setelah menewaskan perenang Australia, Eamon Sullivan.

Bernard berjaya mencatat rekod baru dunia pada saringan separuh akhir di Beijing, namun tidak lama kemudian, rekod tersebut dipecahkan oleh Sullivan pada saringan seterusnya.

Namun dia berjaya memenangi perebutan pingat emas tersebut pada acara akhir sehari kemudian.

Kini Phelps memberitahu, dia mungkin akan menjadi pencabar baru kepada Bernard pada Kejuaraan Dunia di Rom Julai tahun depan.

"Seseorang seperti Bernard adalah pencabar utama saya, saya kalah kepada catatan rekod dunianya hanya dengan masa 0.01 saat, jadi ia pastinya satu cabaran yang hebat di Rom," kata Phelps.

"Acara ini banyak pesaingnya. Saya juga hormati perenang Itali, Filippo Magnini (juara dunia acara 100m gaya bebas sebanyak dua kali).

"Tapi buat masa sekarang, saya mahu berehat seketika daripada berenang walaupun saya masih mahu memaksa diri memberi yang terbaik."

Phelps juga memberitahu bahawa dia dan jurulatihnya, Bob Bowman akan mengambil sedikit masa untuk berehat.

"Kami berdua memang memerlukannya setelah menjalani latihan yang berat," tambahnya.

Phelps berkata, dia akan mengubah tumpuannya daripada acara jarak jauh kepada acara jarak dekat.

Di Beijing dia muncul juara acara 400m rampaian, 200m gaya bebas, kuak kupu-kupu dan rampaian, 100m kuak kupu-kupu dan juga tiga acara berganti-ganti. - AFP

siraptawar

baru aku tahu takde 4x200m patut la usain tak menang satu lg emas