Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Michael Phelps: Best Olympian Ever?

It’s been quite a ride for USA Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps so far in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. And he’s already being called the greatest Olympian of all time.

Earlier today (August 13) the 23-year-old took two more gold medals (his 10th and 11th of his Olympic career) for the 200-meter butterfly and 800-meter freestyle relay.

During his butterfly run, Phelps’ goggles filled with water, but that wasn’t enough to keep him from breaking another world record. “I couldn’t see anything for the last 100 [meters],” Phelps said afterward. “It just kept getting worse and worse through the race.”

As for his world record win with the relay team, Michael told press, “It’s everything I ever dreamed about. On the podium, I kept tearing [up] at it. I’m almost at a loss for words .... It’s the best thing having four American guys ... swim all well together.”

His wins today made him the winningest Olympian in the history of the games, prompting the announcer at the National Aquatic center to call him “arguably the greatest Olympian of all time.”
And there’s still more to come, according to Phelps. “From now on, it’s just a downward slope. The end is close. I love it! I’ve still got some left in the tank.”

Gossip Girls

Enjoy the pictures of Michael Phelps with one of his gold medals and just after winning the 200-meter freestyle (August 12).