Michael Phelps always wanted to do something different and here he has done it.
He has won a record 22 Olympic records (18 golds, 2 silvers, 2 bronze) and a record 11 individual gold medals in three Olympics.
Phelps' belief that that there is no limit to anything and the more one dreams, the more a person can become successful is probably what has made Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever. Yes that is the way things stands, he is the greatest of all the athletes that has ever participated in the Olympics, and this is not just an opinion as his achievement speaks of it.
He always said that he wanted to do something different and here he has done it. Last time at Beijing Olympics he won eight Olympic golds surpassing his countrymen Mark Spitz and this year he came in to Games requiring three medals to break Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record of 18 Olympic medals. And he not six medals. This is the first Olympics where he could not win a medal in an event he participated but then that fact can be overlooked considering what he achieved.
Phelps for sure is not coming back for the next Olympics, and his achievements might stay unmatched or would take ages before anyone can breach it.
The American signed off with a gold medal performance in the 400-meter individual medley where Phelps was part of the butterfly leg, a fitting farewell to the most illustrious sporting career ever. He was joined by the backstroker Matt Grevers, breaststroker Brendan Hansen and freestyler Nathan Adrian. The U.S. has never lost an Olympic 400 medley relay, and even in this one there was not much doubt about it as Phelps put other teams in fray out of contention with a superb butterfly performance
Even though he saw less of gold metal hanging around his unlike last time where his favorite color was yellow, he still does own the podium like no other.
It is not just the number of medals that make him the best, but the way he has dominated the sport. For the last 10 years or so Phelps has dominated the pool like no other and there was hardly any event that eluded him of glory.
His greatness can be justified by the way he won his eight golds in Beijing. He defeated specialists who perhaps for their entire life trained for only one event and Phelps victory over them makes him so special.
Saying that Phelps has dominated the best from his field for a decade would not be a wrong thing to say.
Phelps has been the numero uno swimmer for the past one decade and he became synonymous to 200 m butterfly event.
He did not look that happy when he equaled Larisa for 18 medals because he knew that even though he is just one medal away from becoming immortal in the history of Olympics, he realized that he was dethroned from the 200 m butterfly, his signature event. He was bettered by Chad le Clos of South Africa in a photo finish.
London also incidentally for the first time since 2004 Athens Olympics saw him not finish on the podium when he ended 4th at the 400 m individual medley. The world could see a legacy come to an end and that might have prompted to say that even though he has highest number of medal at Olympics, does his disastrous individual performance justify the greatest tag.
Well the answer is simple. Phelps has been an epitome of perfection and no arguments on that. But then how great a player is the magic somehow does seem to fade away but then what remains is legacy.
Phelps might be overtaken in the future just like Larisa or Spitz but his domination and legacy might hardly be replicated by anyone.
By Indian Sports News Network
