Michael Phelps 8 Gold Medals

With his 8th gold medal, Michael Phelps is finally speechless




Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times


Michael Phelps and his teammates who won the men's 400-meter medley relay pose for pictures after the medal ceremony Sunday at the Water Cube in Beijing.Email Picture

[color:abee=#333333! important]He drags the 400 medley relay team from third to first, then wearily waits for victory. The world record time soon will be forgotten, but the number of gold medals won by Phelps at these Olympics -- eight -- will live forever.
[color:abee=#999999! important]Bill Plaschke
August 17, 2008
BEIJING -- History came not with a splash, but a struggle.

In the deepest Olympic waters, minutes from a remote golden shore, Michael Phelps was not a speedboat, he was a tugboat.

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History came only when he dragged us there.

In front of a Water Cube crowd that roared in disbelief this morning, Phelps kicked a losing U.S. 400-meter relay team from third to first place during his butterfly leg, then climbed out of the pool and wearily cheered as Jason Lezak's freestyle finished the job in world-record time.

That figure -- 3:29.24 -- will be soon forgotten.

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The number of gold medals won by Phelps at these Olympics -- eight -- will live forever.

Magical in China, mystical in U.S. swimming circles, the number eight makes Phelps the greatest single-Olympics athlete in history, breaking the record of seven gold medals held for 36 years by swimmer Mark Spitz.

Eight golds, seven world records, 17 races over nine days, one of the greatest feats by any athlete ever.

Immediately after which, his face contorted, his eyes narrow, Phelps punched the air in what looked like relieved pain.

"It's been such an unbelievable roller coaster, it's been such an unbelievable ride," Phelps said. "With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it took was a little imagination."

When asked how he felt, for once this week, he couldn't answer.

"I don't know what to feel right now. It's so emotional," he said. "AlI I want to do is go see my mom."

And so he did, walking off the podium after his medal ceremony, climbing over a barrier and wading through photographers to hug his mother, Debbie, and sisters Hilary and Whitney.

There were tears. There was laughter. There was his goofy smile. And, with his sisters' outfits matching his latest medal, there was plenty of gold.

"Everything was accomplished, what else could I do?" he said.

He was surely asking himself that same question when he dove into the water today, his team in third place, his final effort forced to be a great one.

And so it was, as he swam the butterfly leg faster than anyone, giving the U.S. team the lead, putting history in the freestyling strokes of Lezak.

"To be honest, I was thinking, 'don't blow the lead,' " Lezak said.

He didn't, and now the race will live as long as those eight gold medals, the final chapter in a book that will probably never be rewritten.

"In my opinion, we'll never see it again," said Australian swimmer Grant Hackett.


To see more http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sp-plaschke17-2008aug17,0,3652583.column

He did, wonder what he'll do with all the medals

lol ya hes like a Famus person in US over 1 million ppl on his facebook


Glad to see someone live his dream

he is a super hottie though most girls think that. The only people that amazing have some unique quality about them like his body is shaped for swimming. His legs are longer or something for more power, he is a little superhuman.

LOL you reply like after he gets it like 2 weeks ago