Category: 
Congratulations to Michael Phelps on winning the seventy gold medals he did at the Olympics to become the most successful athlete at the modern games, but – and you knew there was going to be a but – does he really deserve all the accolades he has been getting in recent days?
True – he is a phenomenal swimmer and athlete, one worthy to be compared to any of the great athletes of all time.
True – he has overcome attention deficit disorder, bullying in school and the most unaerodynamic ears in the history of swimming to succeed.
True – he broke loads of world records and somewhat controversially has opted not to take performance enhancing drugs to do it.
But is fourteen gold medals a little too much? The sheer volume is astounding, but is it a little unfair on athletes past and present who dominated their disciplines but couldn’t compete in as many events? I know that there are different swimming strokes and Phelps is great at all of them, but essentially it’s all swimming and we know Phelps is good at that. I don’t know when I’m looking at freestyle, butterfly or individual medley. Carl Lewis’ haul of golds took in the running and the long jump, two clearly different athletic disciplines, but still has nowhere near the amount of medals as Phelps.
Obviously, the different distances of the swimming races require various degrees of stamina and speed, but again it’s hard to tell the difference in terms of pace and tactics. Phelps is undoubtedly adept at multiple distances, but Usian Bolt could probably wrack up a similar amount if there was a 50 metre sprint, a 75 metre sprint, a 150 metre sprint etc. Plus, I can’t wait until they introduce the running backwards sprint in 2012.
The very physiques and attributes required of 100 metre runners as opposed to 400m or 800 metres runners means that no athlete will be able to dominate the sheer number of events on the track no matter how brilliant they are at their events. Bolt destroyed the field in the 100 metres and looks certain to do the same in the 200, but even if he won both events at every Olympics until 2020, he would still end up with around half the medals than Phelps, and that’s not taking into account what Phelps may achieve in the future. Obviously some of Phelps’ tally comes via relays and you can’t criticise him for triumphing as part of an successful American team, but it goes on to skew his record even further.
Well done to Phelps, he’s great, but is he really the greatest?
August 18th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
The men’s 100m has long been jewel in the Olympic crown. Never in the modern ear has anyone dominated the event as much so as Bolt.
I think that if he does the same in the 200 and breaks a record that some said was unbreakable, he deserves that to be Olympian of the games. Best in history –time will tell.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Why would there be a 50,75,150 in athletics; in both sports the distances progress by doubling? Phelps won events over 100, 200 and 400m.
In swimming there are different stroke disciplines, but Phelps is the only person who could win olympic titles in more than one: he won in 3.
Carl Lewis’ training for long jump and sprinting was essentially very similar, if not identical. His own coach referred to his long jump as just sprinting off the end of the end of the board.
Winning 5 individual events in athletics isn’t possible, but it isn’t possible in swimming either; Phelps does the impossible, that’s why he’s the greatest athlete of all-time.
August 18th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Phelps is a F**** Weirdo They all said it about him when he was young. I say he is a Druggie.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Phelps is the best of the games however he has to do it 5 games in a row. Redgrave did it 5 times so his 5 golds are more respectable than phelps 14.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Redgrave only won 5 medals over 20 years, Phelps does that in 5 days, that is why he is the best at the moment,in the future records are there to be broken
August 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
typical of us brits, the guy wins more medals than most countries do and we still question him. most people have access to a swimming pool so it is more of an achievment than the medals won in yachting etc
August 19th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Hes on something alright he drinks 14 bottles of lucozade each day 2lbs of pasta as well as various high carbed sandwiches 5 egg omlettes and Porridge.This is every day
August 19th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Paddy Barnes guaranteed a bronze medal after win today.Lets hope Egan and Hession can continue what is so far a wonderful day at the Games for Ireland.Glad to see some of our Olympians arent just using this as a free pass to compete in London
August 19th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I would think the best olympian ever to grace the world has to be a Steven Redgrave. To win a gold medal in 5 consecutive olympics has to gian the title of the best, although phelps hasn’t retired yet…..
August 19th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Does no one else rate Bolts achievements
August 19th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
You’ve got to rate Bolt’s achievements for sure Jim Jim. The 100m final on Saturday was a genuinely jaw-dropping moment in sporting history.
But I remember having a similar reaction back in the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and we all know what happened after that particular 100m. Unfortunately for Bolt his achievements are likely to be tainted by everyone else’s wrongdoings over the last 20 years.
It’s not right but its probably the reality.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Redgrave is an absolute legend, but there’s no real depth in rowing to compare it to athletics and swimming. Britain seems to have done well at this Olympics in targeting sports only 3 or 4 countries show any interest in; personally I’d swap all the medals in rowing, sailing and cycling for one good runner.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
phelps won all those medals years ago when he dedicated himself totally and utterly to his sport with endless training sessions and a strict diet. even as a child he had spitz record as his goal just like tiger woods who had nicklaus major record as his. The work was all done years previous and last week was just his graduation. Interestingly enough both were severley bullied as children and thats what motivated them.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
If we are talking about legends look no further than Michelle Smith. He was… i mean she was some legend alright and never lost her medals
August 19th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Phelps is the greatest swimmer in living memory.. and seems like a genuine guy. Fair play to him for wiping the smirk of Mark Spitz’s face.
Mikey for President, I say!!
August 20th, 2008 at 7:05 am
I accept that phelps is a good swimmer but i reckon that old dude on the advert that swims to the bouy and back before the beer is ready would whoop his ass!!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:31 am
is it my imagination or does it look like phelps is just about to fly into a flurry of swear words that a tourrets sufferer would be ashamed of. he reminds me of that angry kid. redgrave over 20 years is quite obviously is the greatest olympian
August 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
ireland should forget about athletes and swimmers for the olympics. Lets face it its a waste of time unless we send all new born babies up the Kenyan mountains for altitude training. The blacks spinters phisiologically will always be faster than the whites so we’re barking up the wrong tree there. We as a nation are just too small to be swimmers unless you’re Michelle “hide the drugs” Smith. Ahh just send 100 boxers to the next olympics…..Well done guys, keep it up…THE FIGHTING IRISH!!!!!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
michael phelps, convicted drink driver, for president? surely the US wouldn’t vote for a drink driver as president? oh hang on….
August 20th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
After that 200 Bolt gets my vote as the Olympian of the games
August 20th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
agree with u jim jim, we should be calling him a lightning bolt he is that quick.
August 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Did he actually try for this one or did he just saunter along at the end…?
Greatest olympian ever has to be that swimmer that nearly drown there a few years ago (not sure if it was at the olympics tho).
August 20th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Phelps , Bolt are true champions and they are the best we have seen at what they do ! Dont forget Chris Hoy though 3 GOLD MEDALS! Phelps beat Serbian Milorad Cavic by just one hundredth of a second for his seventh gold medal, but after watching the replay im not convinced he won, i know the times are recorded when they touch the board but if anyone watched the replay im sure they would agree it didnt look like he got there!
August 21st, 2008 at 9:27 am
Riemann - Are you talking about Eric The Eel in Sydney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zjCc_VyxM4
August 21st, 2008 at 11:48 am
Adam, you’re so right: your eyes are telling you Phelps has lost. But I suppose if it’s the laws of physics and the universe against Michael Phelps, there’s only going to be one winner!
August 21st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Jim Jim- yeah thats the one, funniest thing ever!
August 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Bolt - Phelps- Tour de France . There’s a connection …I am telling ya!
August 21st, 2008 at 4:26 pm
A Pole -
What are you on about?
Doping?
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 am
That Phelps fella,he’s lucky I got my veruca when I did.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Overall i think the olympic games has been great having watched most of it. Im a bit dissapointed with some of the judges scores. Although China deserve every medal they won , you can say that the judges favoured them !?
This is Phelps said to have beat Serbian Milorad Cavic by just one hundredth of a second for his seventh gold medal , I dont think he did ! What do you think ? have a look at the video yourself !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RvZcjMN1wQ
August 24th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Paddy Power, how about doing the right thing and refunding all of us that had Kenny Egan to win the gold medal?
Ireland was robbed, i’m so disgusted!!!!!
August 26th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Im sorry all the people that say that micheal is not good is full of shit he is an amazing athlete winning 8 medals in one olympics you do that then come and tell me that he is crap??
ok than thanks! he is a legend i think def one of the best athletes of the time he is amazing
as the say he actually is a living fish better in water than he is on land!