Phelps breaks Olympic medals record
Michael Phelps, left, celebrates his record-breaking gold medal with his team-mates
Michael Phelps became the most decorated athlete in Olympic history when his gold in the 4x200 metres freestyle relay took him to 19.
The 27-year-old had equalled Larisa Latynina's record earlier on Tuesday evening with silver in the 200m butterfly.
The United States swimmer's first gold at London 2012 moved him beyond the Russian whose record had stood since 1964 to stand alone at the pinnacle with three more events to come. The 27-year-old started the evening with 14 gold, one silver and two bronze medals over three Olympic Games since 2004.
He paid tribute to his three relay team-mates after clinching the record. "I told those guys I wanted a big lead in the last leg and they gave it to me, Phelps said. "I just wanted to hold on, I just wanted to thank them for allowing me to have this moment."
Phelps has always maintained he is not interested in medal counts and will be furious with himself after Chad le Clos of South Africa beat him on the touch in the 200m butterfly. It is a measure of the expectations placed on the Baltimore swimmer that there was audible shock around the Aquatics Centre, a feeling of deflation even.
However, credit is due to Le Clos who swam a superb race to take advantage of Phelps' poor judgement, the American gliding into the wall rather than finishing on a full stroke as has been his hallmark. The South African won in one minute 52.96 seconds, 0.05secs ahead of Phelps with Japan's Takeshi Matsuda third.
China's Ye Shiwen won gold in the women's 200m individual medley. The 16-year-old sensation added the title to the gold she won in the longer medley in mind-boggling fashion earlier this week.
Controversy has swirled around the Chinese teenager since her other-worldly victory in the 400 metres individual medley which saw her swim the final length faster than the winner of the men's equivalent, Ryan Lochte. Ye came from slightly down at third at the final turn to produce a storming freestyle leg to secure victory.
When asked after the 200m race if she had used doping to improve her performance, she bluntly replied: "Absolutely not." She added: "I think this is a little bit unfair for me, however I was not affected by that. I'm not affected by the outside noise."
Allison Schmitt of the United States won in Olympic record time in the 200 metres freestyle final. Schmitt, who last month swam the event faster than anyone in textiles in history, led from start to finish and touched in a dominant one minute 53.61 seconds. France's Camille Muffat was second as the pair reversed their placings in the 400m freestyle on Sunday.
I have to agree with Colin Knox, how can it be said that Phelps is the Greatest Olympian , just because he has the largest tally of medals! He has only competed in two Olyimpics, and within his sport he has the chance to compete in several events, 100, 200, 400, relays etc, etc.
Other Olympians who have competed in their chosen sports, may only be able to do one event, due to rules, or time schedules, but they may have competed over a 20 year period and stayed at the top of their game.
We know who these people are !
They too are the Greatest Olympians !!!!!
Congratulations to Michael Phelps – he is, and will be for a long time to come, an Olympic legend. If anyone has doubts over his ability or achievements over three Olympic Games, then clearly they have never taken to the water and tried to swim each of the swimming disciplines he swims. Everyone should take note – his overall medal count speaks volumes! Maybe if more people got off the couch, stopped eating junk food and actually tried doing some exercise for a change and then they attempted to get to the pinnacle of their chosen sporting career, then and only then would they appreciate the dedication and commitment it takes to achieve what Michael Phelps has. Well done Mr Phelps – you are a true ambassador for your sport and an inspiration to athletes the world over!
Congratulations to Michael Phelps – he is, and will be for a long time to come, an Olympic legend. If anyone has doubts over his ability or achievements over three Olympic Games, then clearly they have never taken to the water and tried to swim each of the swimming disciplines he swims. Everyone should take note – his overall medal count speaks volumes! Maybe if more people got off the couch, stopped eating junk food and actually tried doing some exercise for a change and then they attempted to get to the pinnacle of their chosen sporting career, then and only then would they appreciate the dedication and commitment it takes to achieve what Michael Phelps has. Well done Mr Phelps – you are a true ambassador for your sport and an inspiration to athletes the world over!
Maybe they should put the Chinese girl in with the men seing as though she can swim faster.
Whether she is using drugs or not it seems a little difficult to believe that women can outperform the men at this level of the sport. I know of no other sport where this occurs. ie running, cycling, weight lifting etc.
Ok, in Equestrian the men and women compete together, where you would expect the women to have a slight advantage due to being lighter, but it's the horse that does the majority of the work.
You can't blame people for being suspicious now can you?
However, if she's clean then good luck to her. If not then it's only a matter of time before you're caught, and quite rightly so.
Anyone remember the East German women of the 70's and 80's I watched a documentary about them a few years ago. They were actively encouraged to take various tablets, many of the women were unaware they were banned substances. This lead to all sorts of problems for them later in life. For example they would lose their breasts, facial hair would develop, periods would stop, to name but a few.
Michael Phelps is an incredible Olympian but not the best there has been. You can't compare someone who has to only tweak an arm action to be able to compete in so many diciplines where a wrestler, weightlifter, tennis player (and I could go on) will generally only ever have the chance to win one gold medal every four years never being able to emulate what Phelps has done as it is impossible.
Again, his achievements should be heralded as a quite remarkable feat but others for me provide in relative terms more quality than the quantity.
How can any athlete, who holds the Olyimpic Oath as true, climb the podium if in their hearts and minds they know that they on their way to the cherished medal and honour they took drugs that enhanced their performance, in the training process, or were delegated in the qualifying rounds..
Phelps has 19 medals but in how many relay heats did he participate...there is no doubt that he originates from natural talent but how would he have compared to his equivalents of earlier decades, without the pharmaceutical modelling or monetary resources?
Phelps is an example but unfortunately modern athleticism is rife with the malais. It is corporate or political ideals embodied rather than the pure umblemished spirit of sport for well being and enjoyment.
It sad but there is more honesty and honour amongst the work mates who gather for a kick-about with a cheap ball in their lunch-break, than any of the glorified events we witness in stadiums or TV.
Unfortunately the athletes are blinded by the powerful glow of money or political promise.
