Pool phenomenon smashes Spitz's record with awesome eight-gold haul

Published on Sunday 17 August 2008 23:36

APPARENTLY Michael Phelps' English teacher had told him he would amount to nothing. If she still has her doubts, now would be a good time to consult her arithmetic colleague because seven plus one makes eight and in this case, more pertinently, it makes history.

The sensational 23-year-old had cause to smile yesterday as he recalled that put down. "Yeah, my mum and I still joke about my teacher telling me I wouldn't be successful," said the most decorated Olympian of all time and the only person to ever win eight gold medals in a single Games. With the help of his team-mates he added the 4x100m medley to his haul on the final day of swimming at the Water Cube, to eclipse the previous best of seven. That record, set by fellow swimmer Mark Spitz, had stood for 36 years and having equalled it with a fingertip finish in the 100m butterfly on Saturday, he defied logic and fatigue to go one better.

"If I was the first man on the moon, then Michael is the first man on Mars." According to Phelps, that was how Spitz had greeted his demotion in the record books.

It was a feat many had claimed was impossible but even as he savoured the moment, Phelps predicted that one day he would know how Spitz feels. "Records are always made to be broken. Anybody can do anything they set their mind to. I said all along I wanted to be the first Michael Phelps, not the second Mark Spitz. Never once will I downplay his accomplishments by any means. What he did was an amazing feat, and will always be an amazing accomplishment.

"Having something like that to shoot for made those days when you were tired and didn't want to be there, and wanted to go and sleep, not work out, it made those days easier ... I'm just thankful he did what he did."

There were tears as Phelps scrambled up through a bank of photographers to hug his mum and his sisters. And he claimed memories like those would be every bit as special as the collection of precious metal and jade he now has.

"I have all the memories, all the photos and I will have all the medals forever. I will have every suit and every cap, every bit of my Team USA outfits."

But it is the memories he will treasure most and he put almost as much effort into accumulating them as he had in racking up medals and the seven world records and one Olympic record he mustered. He said some of his team-mates had not remembered past glories. He didn't want that void in the mental locker.

"I wanted to make sure I took every single moment in, every swim in, and every single moment I had with my team-mates in, so that I would remember them. I've had so many great moments here in China. I don't want to forget anything that happened. I think getting emotional, as I was on the award stand, those are moments and experiences that will live with me forever."

It was a slog and he admitted that the lowest ebb was after the semi-final of the 100m butterfly. "I was absolutely at the point where I was like, 'Oh my gosh'," he said exhaling loudly and shaking his head. "Oh, and I was very tired after the 200m individual medley."

Before the Games had started the hype began. After winning six golds in Athens, the news that he would compete in eight events drew immediate comparisons with Spitz and raised the question of beating the record. It was a question he chose to diplomatically swerve. Others talked about it, he just went out and swam. At the time he said only two people in the world knew what the targets were for Beijing, himself and his long-time coach and mentor Bob Bowman. So now that he had all eight golds, could he reveal what the goal had been. This affable superstar, who has become one of the biggest sporting names on the planet over the past week, offered a playful grin.

"Lets just say everything was accomplished! All my times were the best times in every race and everything is accomplished that we wanted to accomplish."

It has come at a price. Endless training, disciplined living and the kind of dedication even his peers could never understand. But it has paid out.

"Bob has a saying about putting money in the bank. When we train, sometimes we have sets that I don't like, or don't want to do, and Bob says: 'This is putting money in the bank, and at the end of the year, you are able to withdraw everything'.

"I put a lot of money in the bank over the past four years, and we pretty much withdrew every penny so after Bob and I have a little break, it will be time to start re-depositing."

There is the notion that he will turn his attention to some of the events he did not compete in here. But first he will relax and enjoy the newfound fame and financial benevolence of his sponsors, who are set to pay out big time following his record achievement.

"I'm just excited about spending time with friends and family. Two of my friends were there today, wearing fake gold medals around their neck. I am looking forward to just chillin' with them. I looking forward to just sitting and not moving!"

Some things in life are well and truly earned, whether that be gold medals, world records or a long-overdue rest. Phelps has earned the lot.