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Log inPhelps sets new record
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Phelps sets new record
by Outspoken on Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:55 am
Phelps sets new record
He completes his swim into Olympic history with his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games.
By MICHELLE KAUFMAN
McClatchy Newspapers
BEIJING -— The spotlight intensified on the Water Cube with each passing day of these Olympics as the world witnessed Michael Phelps’ nine-day battle with history. And the made-for-NBC drama reached a crescendo this morning Beijing time as the U.S. phenom won an unprecedented eighth gold medal in the medley relay in world-record time.
Eight events. Eight golds. Seven world records.The Australian team stood in his way, and Andrew Lauterstein said the Aussies were determined to ruin Phelps’ pool party. “We’re going to give the Americans a good shake and hopefully keep Phelpsy from getting his eighth gold.”
No such luck.
The U.S. led after the backstroke, and was in third place at the halfway mark, when Phelps took over to swim the third leg, the butterfly. He regained the lead for the Americans in 50.15 seconds, and Jason Lezak preserved it to fulfill Phelps’ seemingly-unrealistic goal. They won in 3:29.34.
The silver medal went to Australia, and Japan took bronze.
“Without the help of my teammates, this wouldn’t be possible,” Phelps said. “I think back to that 4x100 relay. We came together. From winning by one-100th to doing a best time in every event, it’s been nothing but a roller coaster and it’s been nothing but fun.“Anything is possible. That is something I learned.”The swimming was the easy part. Articulating his emotions proved harder.
“I don’t really know what to feel right now. There is so much emotion going through my head. So much excitement, I guess I just want to see my mom.”
Portland native Ian Crocker also earned a gold medal as part of the U.S. relay team, even though he did not compete in this morning’s final.
Crocker swam the butterfly leg of a prelim relay race. Friday that earned a spot for the U.S. team in the final. As a result, he is considered a member of the relay team and entitled to a medal.
It’s the third Olympic gold – and fifth Olympic medal overall – for Crocker. He was part of the gold-medal winning medley relay teams in each of the last two Olympic Games, in 2000 and 2004. He also has an individual silver medal (100 butterfly) from 2004 and a relay bronze (400 freestyle) from 2004.
Crocker just missed out on another medal Saturday, when he finished fourth in the 100 butterfly final by one-hundredth of a second.
Phelps had a lot on his mind and broad shoulders heading into his race. He was on a quest for gold medal No. 8, which would surpass swimming legend Mark Spitz’s 36-year-old record set in Munich.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=205178&ac=PHnws
Photos From The Associated Press
He completes his swim into Olympic history with his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games.
By MICHELLE KAUFMAN
McClatchy Newspapers
BEIJING -— The spotlight intensified on the Water Cube with each passing day of these Olympics as the world witnessed Michael Phelps’ nine-day battle with history. And the made-for-NBC drama reached a crescendo this morning Beijing time as the U.S. phenom won an unprecedented eighth gold medal in the medley relay in world-record time.
Eight events. Eight golds. Seven world records.The Australian team stood in his way, and Andrew Lauterstein said the Aussies were determined to ruin Phelps’ pool party. “We’re going to give the Americans a good shake and hopefully keep Phelpsy from getting his eighth gold.”
No such luck.
The U.S. led after the backstroke, and was in third place at the halfway mark, when Phelps took over to swim the third leg, the butterfly. He regained the lead for the Americans in 50.15 seconds, and Jason Lezak preserved it to fulfill Phelps’ seemingly-unrealistic goal. They won in 3:29.34.
The silver medal went to Australia, and Japan took bronze.
“Without the help of my teammates, this wouldn’t be possible,” Phelps said. “I think back to that 4x100 relay. We came together. From winning by one-100th to doing a best time in every event, it’s been nothing but a roller coaster and it’s been nothing but fun.“Anything is possible. That is something I learned.”The swimming was the easy part. Articulating his emotions proved harder.
“I don’t really know what to feel right now. There is so much emotion going through my head. So much excitement, I guess I just want to see my mom.”
Portland native Ian Crocker also earned a gold medal as part of the U.S. relay team, even though he did not compete in this morning’s final.
Crocker swam the butterfly leg of a prelim relay race. Friday that earned a spot for the U.S. team in the final. As a result, he is considered a member of the relay team and entitled to a medal.
It’s the third Olympic gold – and fifth Olympic medal overall – for Crocker. He was part of the gold-medal winning medley relay teams in each of the last two Olympic Games, in 2000 and 2004. He also has an individual silver medal (100 butterfly) from 2004 and a relay bronze (400 freestyle) from 2004.
Crocker just missed out on another medal Saturday, when he finished fourth in the 100 butterfly final by one-hundredth of a second.
Phelps had a lot on his mind and broad shoulders heading into his race. He was on a quest for gold medal No. 8, which would surpass swimming legend Mark Spitz’s 36-year-old record set in Munich.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=205178&ac=PHnws
Photos From The Associated Press
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