posted Aug 18, 2008

The greatest Olympian? Of course not. He is the flavour of the month. Now it is time to move on and enjoy these multinational games in a more multinational-multicultural spirit. For now he is an amazing swimmer and nothing else. When he achieves what Dara Torres has achieved we can revisit the issue.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

he may be the greatest swimmer but never greatest olympian; look at the 38 year old Romanian woman who won the marathon! and the 41 year old American who got silver medal in swimming. He is just very well fed, very well trained swimmer. and that's it

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posted Aug 18, 2008

Fireyleftbank has made two incredibly ignorant statements, and he ought to be ashamed, particularly for the second comment. If he incorrectly believes that no British people like swimming, that is fine. But to deride the BBC for covering what is truly an amazing moment in sports history simply because he doesn't like it is absurd. As for the second comment, taking cheap shots at America in this way is senseless. To connect Michael Phelps, a brilliant young athlete who routinely shows his humility and kindness with, I assume, a dislike for George W Bush is pathetic. And, if you don't want the BBC covering Michael Phelps, why did you read the article?

Is he the greatest Olympian ever? Surely he is one of them. 14 gold and 2 bronze medals over two Olympiads, plus London to come...that is not a flavour of the month. That is an incredible athlete who has done something no other person ever has.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

The label 'greatest' is subjective.

The facts are that he set the record for gold medals at one games and overall. He is the best in the events in which he competed.

There are many athletes who shined in other sports that could be labeled 'greatest.' In the end is says as much about the labeler as the labeled.

One thing to young Mr. Phelps' credit is that he has thus far been gracious and poised under hot spotlights. I hope he keeps his head on straight.

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posted Aug 19, 2008

It's tough to measure greatness - Is it number of medals? Is is world records broken/held? Is it margin of victory? Is it number of disciplins/events won? Is it longevity of one's dominance? Is it the conduct with which the sportsman upholds?

I think the answer is a combination of all of these. No doubt Phelps had satisfied most of these, apart from longevity. If he can achieve even 1 or 2 golds in London 2012 then I believe you would do well to argue against the, what now seems premature, title of 'Greatest Olympian Ever'.

On the other hand, can you ever take anything away from the likes of Daley Thompson, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Steve Redgrave and others? Of course you can't, they are Olympic legends in their own right and in their OWN sports.

Michael Phelps, greatest Olympian ever? Possibly, although I strongly believe it is a matter of opinion. The Olympics is meant to reach out and touch you in some way, it's meant to inspire young athletes and to leave the rest of us in awe. Micheal Phelps has certainly achieved that this year, with swimmers and non-swimmers across the globe, and no doubt he will do it again.

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posted Aug 19, 2008

It is reported that Phelps won the 100m butterfly gold medal by 1/100 of a second, but in fact he won it by 2/100 of a second. He won the race by 1/100, but if he had gone 1/100 slower he would have tied and still won gold. Therefore, it was 1/100 to win the race and 2/100 to win the gold.

-Ilan Vardi, Berkeley, CA

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posted Aug 19, 2008

reading some of the responses i think that yes, in his day redgrave was good, but was not GREAT, Mark Spits has become an icon, GLOBALLY, and Phelps will be the same,
Ask anyone in an overseas country if they know who Redgrave is, they answer...."isn't she that actress....." ask them who mark spits is the answer is immediate and "he's the swimmer that won 7 golds," OK they don't know it was over 30 years ago, ....phelps will go down in History, 8 golds, 7 world records, and he swam in teams and individually.... His already a LEGEND!......how can he not be with that record, Oh.....and he did win golds in the last olympics!!!.

I am a Brit living in Hong Kong, and I am a proud Brit, but I have to stringly disagree with anyone who thinks that Redgrave comes close is in need of medication or councelling.....C'mon Great Britain, stop kidding ourselves that we have anyone who come close.......

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posted Aug 19, 2008

Temesgen of Ethiopia
No Question about that he come from another world, No words to explain or compare him with others. He is greatest ever , may be ever & ever.who can follow his footsteps???????

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posted Aug 20, 2008

Phelp is the best in the universe no wonder Amirica writes his name in golden words in his history. No one can break his record of phelp

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posted Aug 26, 2008

namuncura, read my comment again, the fact that rowing is a very minority support surely counts against redgrave based on the fact to reach the pinnacle of the sport where there isnt many participants worldwide is alot easier than say swimming or running where there are are millions of participants worldwide,

typical example its 1000 times harder to be a premiership football player based on the amount of people who play the game than to be a Guinness premiership rugby player

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