- 17 Aug 08, 07:17 AM
Ok, I'll admit it, my crystal ball had clouded over when I predicted that Michael Phelps would not, could not, achieve eight gold medals in Beijing.
He had some scares along the way, notably the 4x100 metres freestyle relay, when he was indebted to Jason Lezak for keeping him on track, and to the timing device for putting Phelps ahead of Milorad Cavic in the 100m butterfly. But, however you dress it up, seven world records and one Olympic record just takes your breath away.
What superlative would you use for the world's greatest swimmer (fact) and greatest sportsman ever (arguably)? We will have to come up with some new ones for 2012 because he'll be in London for sure, and may well end up doing a completely different set of events from the eight he took on in China. His backstroke is world class, his breaststroke is improving beyond recognition, and the 100 and 400 metres freestyle would fit nicely into his programme next time.
The Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award is a gimme now, how can it be anyone else? And the Democrats might think about having Michael Phelps as a running mate for Barack Obama.
It was an ok Sunday morning for the Brits, no medals but three records in the pool. Gemma Spofforth set a new European record in the lead-off leg of the medley relay, the quartet of Spofforth, Kate Haywood, Jemma Lowe and Fran Halsall also lowered the European mark to finish fourth overall. The equivalent race for the men resulted in a new British record for Tancock, Cook, Rock and Burnett.
David Davies, the bronze medallist from four years ago in Athens in the 1500 metres freestyle, had nothing left in the tank after a super-fast heat swim on Friday.
"The elephants and pianos were all on my shoulders and my heart was pounding and my stomach was gone, and it's a long way when you're feeling like that," said Davies after finishing sixth in the final - but he will fare better in the 10k open water on the rowing lake next Thursday.
The man who had saved the best for last was Tunisia's Oussama Mallouli denying Grant Hackett his third Olympic title in a row.
Thanks to Rebecca Adlington's two golds, Great Britain has finished as the top swimming nation in Europe and fourth overall on the medals table. What's more, Team GB had 21 finalists in the pool, ten more than in Athens, so that was one thing I did get right! Roll on 2012, things are looking more than just encouraging in the pool for four years' time, they look incredibly positive. And just think how good Adlington will be then.
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Rebecca Adlington was phenomenal. To not just break but destroy Janet Evan's record was outstanding.
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Was Mallouli lucky to not be disqualified? I think he got out of the pool before the last swimmer finished, which I think is a "No, No". Can someone who is more knowledgable than me have a look and post on here whether (a) he did leave the pool too soon and (b) whether it is an offence.
I'm not seeking to distract from what was a great swim, but "Rules is Rules".
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Adlington is my new hero.
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IF and it's a big if - Rafa Nadal wins the Olympics and the US Open - he should be Overseas Personality of the Year. Phelps is great but swimming has nothing like the depth of competition and he also relied on relays for some of his success.
Also surely Bob agrees the British swimming TEAM have been mediocre at the games. Aside from the great Rebecca Adlington - it's one bronze and no medals for the men. It's tiring to see post-race interviewees continually saying they've enjoyed the experience, looking to 2012 etc etc
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It's not even "arguable" that he's the "greatest ever sportsman." He's not.
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No a swimmer is allowed to get out of the pool before all swimmers finish the race, it's just seen as good etiquette if they don't. I suppose he was just so excited. A similar issue does exist with the relays in that no swimmer on the bank can enter the pool until all 8 have finished, otherwise the team will be DQd. But they too can get out when they want.
I have to say I think Team GB have done a lot better than mediocre. One of the major problems in the past was that many of them were seen to bottle it once they came on to the international stage. However this time around I was very impressed especially with how the teenage girls handled themselves and this has to bode well for London. Halsall, Simmonds and Lowe all made finals in their main events setting british records along the way and I don't think anybody could really expect them to deliver a medal unless a few of the other finalists underperformed. Apart from
Adlington and Jackson, Spofforth was another swimmer who proved herself world class, swimming very well in the back final to 4th and setting a euro record record of 59.0 last night. Also I'm presuming thanks to her US training her turns (typically American) are amongst the best in the world and could teach many of her team mates a thing or to on that score. the 4x200 cock up really did put a downer on things but the swimmers can hardly be blamed for that and I think silver would have been very realistic with Adlington having a 1:54 in her. Without doubt this is an improvement on Athens where swimmer were seemed to be beaten before they even got on the blocks.
Admittedly there isn't have as many positives with regard the men's team. The US team are simply too far ahead. Even the Aussie team failed to win a gold in any of the men's events and yet we'd consider them a swimming powerhouse. All 6 golds came from the women and if team GB were to do the same in 4 years I'd be more than happy!
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The spirit of David Colman lives on in Beijing 2008.
'This is probably the only shot you'll see her behind in the whole race'
Commentry on the replay of Rebecca Adlington's triumph in the 800m freestyle.
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Micheal Phelps was outstanding and i think he is the best olympian of all time.Just goes to show he could show Footballers a thing or two.I still dont understand why David Beckham is going to recieve the torch a the closing ceremony Steve Redgrave should as he is our best Olympian.
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How about Padraig Harrington for overseas personality?
But Phelps has performed something special. I think the standard of performance at this olympics has been something special. I mean yesterday Phelps drew level with Spitz and the American news networks were almost all leading with Usain Bolt's run (another OSPOY contender)
Am I the only one getting excited about London 2012 already?
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The GB girls did really well and Adlington is the icing on the cake.
I thought the GB men were disappointing, however. They really need to improve and step up a bit over the next four years.
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You are a fool if you think swimming has "nothing like the depth of competition" that tennis has.
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Shame about the men, 'they did there best and still no medals. No one has mentioned Mark Foster, didn't he carry the flag for the UK, the most decorated UK swimming athlete but outgunned badly in the 50m heats! He should retire......
The UK girls did well C plus, Swimming in the UK is still a minority sport with insuffiecent 50m pools outthere......
As for Michael Thelps, he should let others incl his relay team compete for Gold in 2012, like Ian Thorpe they achieved sucess a bit too early.......what now for them....... that doesn't sound like putting a wedge on the door
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Think about the money available in swimming compared to tennis. Fact: more kids will aim to take up tennis as a profession than swimming because there is a much greater chance that they'll become rich.
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Thats right, only in Austraila do swimmer become rich - Grant Hackett as one. But this time round the Aussie look very ordinary in the Pool??? Hackett was sounded destroyed by an unknown Korean in the 400m, being only 19 yr old
Pay per view says alot about the sports wealth......swimming will never be a pay per view sport but I love it for eternity
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The Aussies actually performed as well as ever, but like everyone else looked ordinary compared to Michael Phelps.
All up they got 6 gold 6 silver and 8 bronze, whereas the USA received 12 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze, most of the gold won by Michael Phelps. The Americans very nearly lost that last gold medal in the mens medley relay to Australia and that was with Michael swimming.
The Australian women still have the strongest team in the world, and the men are slowly recovering from the shock of losing Ian Thorpe and found they have to start pulling their finger out instead of relying on him to win.
As for money in swimming, very few of our Aussie swimmers get a lot of money, believe it or not.. Only the very few who are multiple medal winners and are reasonable looking get sponsors.
Of a 46 strong team sent to Beijing, you are looking at around 6 or 7 who get the good money, the rest struggle. In Athens 2004, Petria Thomas who was a multiple medal winner and a wonderful olympian who had been on the team for successive olympics actually left the sport because she was so broke and no matter how many medal she had won not one sponsor did she get, all because she wasnt blonde and marketable. Between Athens and Beijing, there were fewer spnsors because it was said there were too many good swimmers in the womens team, and it was er ho hum.
Now though Stephanie Rice has become the sponsors dream
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FACT; swimming is the second most paticipated sport in the world behind football. so the guy who says tennis is more competitive that swimming is a fool.
phelps does more training in a week than nadal does in 2.
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Not that I'm knocking Phelps' achievements in the pool, but for me it is nowhere near the greatness of Sir Steve Redgrave.
The fact is Sir Steve was at the top of his game across five Olympics and that takes some doing.
If Phelps had gained his medals across a variety of events ie. sprints, mid and the 10km then perhaps it would be fair to say that he is the greatest swimmer of all time.
Physiologically, as the fastest swimmer over 100 and 200 meters then you would expect him to be near, if not at the top of the pile for the same distances in the other strokes.
Get Phelps into some sea swimming and/or long distance events and see if all the hype is deserved.
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