Monroe Chat

As much as I am rooting for a different Team, there is something truly fantastic about watching Michael Phelps .... In part I believe it is his 'down to earth' demeanor and graciousness ...... Incredible Athlete, incredible young Man.. I hope that he attains all of his goals and will be thrilled watching him do so


Michael Phelps today became the most successful Olympic athlete of all time - and not even his faulty goggles got in the way of him claiming a 10th gold medal.


For much of his record-breaking race today, the 23-year-old could not see as the goggles filled up with water and blurred his view.




But America's golden boy still stormed to victory in the 200 metres freestyle relay in record time, just an hour after winning another gold in the 200 metres butterfly, bringing his total gold medal tally, including Athens, to an unprecedented 11.

After finishing the race, the swimmer tossed his goggles aside and said: "I couldn't see anything for the last 100m, my goggles pretty much filled up with water. It kept getting worse and I was having trouble seeing the walls to be honest."





Rather modestly, Phelps, who finished the race in a world record time of 1:52.03, added: "But it's fine. I wanted to break the record and wanted to go 1:51 or better but in the circumstances I guess it's not too bad."


Less than three hours later he claimed yet another gold medal as part of the US 4x200m freestyle team.


Today's triumphs are his fourth and fifth gold medals since the competition began five days ago and he still has a shot at three more, which could see him winning an unprecedented eight golds by the time the Games are over.


More incredibly, all five of his races have been done in record time.


Added to his six golds from Athens four years ago, the two victories sees Phelps surpass the nine golds won by sprinter Carl Lewis, swimmer Mark Spitz, Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi.

He remains on target to surpass Spitz's achievement of seven golds in one Olympics.


Dubbed the "human dolphin", his success has been put down to his ability to kick like the mammal for 10 metres off each wall, keeping him under water longer than other swimmers.

He powers the kick by flexing his body from the stomach down.
In the relay Phelps was first in the pool. His team-mates Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay carried on where he left off and eventually clocked a new world record time of 6:58.56, the first time the seven minute barrier has been broken.


Phelps began swimming as a seven-year-old.


He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and was prescribed the drug Ritalin.


Phelps used the sport as an outlet for his hyperactivity and took it up professionally at the age of 16. He is now recognised as the most successful swimmer the world has ever seen and could be the greatest athlete in history.

At least we found something to bring you over to "our side". Ha ha.

I was thinking since the next summer olympics are in london you could be our inside track to the swimming and seeing Michael Phelps go for more history. Maybe you could even give us a personal tour of England.

Consider it done

My commentary MIGHT be just a bit bias tho

SEANG wrote:I was thinking since the next summer olympics are in london you could be our inside track to the swimming and seeing Michael Phelps go for more history. Maybe you could even give us a personal tour of England.