BEIJING -- Cheering from the pool deck, Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games on Sunday to become the grandest of Olympic champions.
Jason Lezak held on to the lead Phelps gave him, anchoring the United States to a world record in the 400-meter medley relay against an Australian team that did its best to spoil history.
But Phelps, with a big hand from three teammates, would not be denied. He eclipsed Mark Spitz's seven-gold performance at the 1972 Munich Games, an iconic performance that was surpassed by a swimmer fitting of this generation: a 23-year-old from Baltimore who loves hip-hop music and texting with his buddies.
Even though the Americans have never lost the medley relay at the Olympics, the latest gold was hardly a breeze. When Phelps dove into the water for the butterfly -- the third of four legs -- the Americans were third behind Japan and Australia.
But Phelps, swimming the same distance and stroke that he used to win his seventh gold a day earlier, powered back to the front on his return lap, passing off to Lezak with the Americans in front.
Australia's Eamon Sullivan tried to chase Lezak down and appeared to be gaining as they came to the wall. But Lezak touched in 3 minutes, 29.34 seconds - Phelps' seventh world record in his personal Great Haul of China.
Truly amazing. I am still in awe however at the 100 meter event right after that. I think that was the fastest human being I have ever seen. The cat eased up with 15 meters to go and still broke a world record.
P.S. Hats off to Michael Phelps, pretty neat to see something like that in your lifetime. Some of you have now seen it twice. Meaning 7 for Spitz and now 8 for Phelps.
------------------------------------
WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE AND BELIEVE, IT CAN ACHIEVE
Truly amazing. I am still in awe however at the 100 meter event right after that. I think that was the fastest human being I have ever seen. The cat eased up with 15 meters to go and still broke a world record.
Bolt made it look too easy. I bet he could break 9.5 if he he really tried!!!
Truly amazing. I am still in awe however at the 100 meter event right after that. I think that was the fastest human being I have ever seen. The cat eased up with 15 meters to go and still broke a world record.
P.S. Hats off to Michael Phelps, pretty neat to see something like that in your lifetime. Some of you have now seen it twice. Meaning 7 for Spitz and now 8 for Phelps.
This kid Bolt from Jamaica can fly! It was amazing to watch... he even messed up a little out of the blocks and still smashed his own world record.
It was good to see the kid from the US get the bronze in this one.
Hey what's even better with Phelps is that he basically stole the gold medal from the Serbian guy in 100m butterfly. Phelps was going nuts, while this guy sh*t his pants in disbelief..
Did you see the replays? Phelps won because his nails were uncut so he reached the wall quicker..
Again, not surprisingly, the angry Serbs from this guy's hometown, went on to damage a McDonalds shop and also go on a looting spree in a local Nike shop.
This kid Bolt from Jamaica can fly! It was amazing to watch... he even messed up a little out of the blocks and still smashed his own world record. It was good to see the kid from the US get the bronze in this one.
Phelps was amazing and was helped by two unbelievable finishes. However, Bolt was INCREDIBLE. He made the best sprinters in the world ALL look like they were standing still.
Phelps Does It! 8 Gold!
Linear Mode
