It’s not an original statement to say that Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympic athlete ever. All you have to do is count his medals. He has probably finished his Olympic career now with 22 total medals. An astounding 18 of his medals are gold, or 82% of them.
At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Phelps participated in 8 swimming events, and won them all. He broke Mark Spitz’ record of 7 gold medals in one Olympics, from 40 years ago. At these London Olympics, Phelps broke the all-time record of total medals won, that was previously held my Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina, whose Olympic career ended with her third Olympic games in 1964. Latynina finished with 18 medals, but only 9 of them were gold.
Phleps started his Olympic career in Athens, Greece back in 2004, with 6 gold and 2 bronze medals. Then In Beijing, China it was all Phelps, all the time, in the pool, where he won his 8 gold medals. In London, he has finished up with 4 gold, and 2 silver medals.
Phelps started with a 4th place in his first finals race in London, losing to fellow American, gold medalist Ryan Lochte. It seemed like a passing of the torch. Not so fast. After losing in the 400 meter individual medley, Phelps said he didn’t feel very good. It sounded like an excuse, but I guess I should have listened to him. He must have felt better as the Olympics continued. In his six remaining events, Phelps won 4 gold and 2 silver medals, including beating Lochte in the 200 meter individual medley.
While I had an overdose of Phelps in 2008, this year I liked him better. He not only broke the all-time medal record, but he did it in great fashion. He won a gold medal in his last 4 events, finishing his career with at least double the number of gold medals of every athlete who ever participated in the Olympics. What a great end to a career, if it really is the end, for Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian ever.
