RSSBeijing Olympics: US Swimmer Michael Phelps Wins Gold and Breaks World Record … 1 Down 7 to Go
Michael Phelps wins first gold of Beijing Olympics … There is another Wheaties box in his very near future.
There have almost become three certainties in life … death, taxes and Michael 
Phelps winning Olympic gold in the pool. In Phelps’ first race of the Beijing Olympics, the 400 meter individual medley, he did not disappoint. In fact, Michael Phelps not only won gold but also set a new world record at 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds.
With President Bush cheering him on, Phelps dominated his first event of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday morning, crushing his own world record and all hopes of his challengers with a mark of 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds in the 400-meter individual medley.
What separates true champions from the rest? With all the pressure and expectations to win, Phelps made it look so relaxed and easy.
Michael Phelps will be challenging Mark Spitz record of 7 gold medals from the 1972 Olympics. He has 1 down and 7 more races to go in Beijing. With Phelps being such an accomplished swimmer one would think that much of what he does is routine. Many athletes become training machines focusing only on victory. Not Phelps. Isn’t it refreshing to see an Olympic athlete be moved by the experience and for the love of the honor and country of representing the USA.
Phelps touched the wall and spun around so quickly to see his time that he bumped his head on the wall. He pumped both arms in the air, and quickly spotted his mother and two sisters in the massive stands at the Water Cube.
He then looked the other way, where Bush was waving his American flag, accompanied by the first lady, their daughter Barbara and his father, former President George H. W. Bush.
“I looked up and he waved the flag and nodded his head,” Phelps said. “That was a pretty cool feeling to have the president say congratulations and have him in the crowd.”
On the medal stand, Phelps’ eyes watered as the U.S. flag was raised to the rafters. The only glitch came during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” which cut off a few seconds before the end, cracking up Phelps.
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5 Responses to “Beijing Olympics: US Swimmer Michael Phelps Wins Gold and Breaks World Record … 1 Down 7 to Go”
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Go Michael Go ! ! ! ! ! Hope you win every gold medal you compete for !!!!!!!! USA !!! USA !!!USA!!!!!!
I agree well done. Watched the men play in the basketball game today against China.. score was 101 USA and China 60 something?
One thing about the Olympics that has absolutely appalled me was the press commentary on the opening night. I saw that, and was shocked to hear the imbecile anchors for the network saying things like: Malawi, that’s in central Africa.
That’s the country that Madonna made famous a few months ago….
How insensitive and just plain damn ignorant and provincial can these people sound? Maybe that sort of thing might resonate in the U.S., but not all the world is in love with our Hollywood types.
It seems to me incredibly stupid. I felt embarrassed to be American, in a way.
Michael Phelps’ blistering speeds in butterfly is due to the following reason: Phelp exits his hands earlier without pushing back when he swims butterfly. During the upsweep phase, his hands are directed most backward (also upward and outward), but the movement is upward. The hands are moving in a vertical arc. This generates propulsive lift and drag. In order to obtain a good combination of propulsive components this curved movement is better done not totally extending the elbows in the last pulling phase. This action is combined with the second leg kick and provide a tremendous impulse to the swimmer when is able to move the hands very, very fast in proper position. Moreover, a circular and quick movement at the end of the arm propulsion helps the arm recovery, that should be initiated leaving the water with the little finger first. This “get away” butterfly was taught by Bill Boomer, a USA coach, 10 years ago. Misty Hyman was taught this when Bill Boomer worked with the USA Olympic team. It was this that helped her to rebalance her body, save energy and beat Susie O’Neill in the 200m butterfly at Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics.
[...] Men’s 400m Individual Medley [...]