How Michael Phelps stormed 2008 Olympics
- 7 Aug 2018
It may be a decade ago, but Michael Phelps rewriting Olympic history by winning eight gold medals at Beijing 2008 lives on as one of sport's most defining moments.
In a world where sporting excellence constantly evolves and improves, the feat achieved by Phelps when he won his eighth gold in the 4x100m medley relay is as incredible now as it was then.
Not only did it eclipse the 36-year record of seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz in 1972, but it set new standards of swimming excellence that may never be repeated.
It wasn't just about the number of gold medals. It was the dominant and stylish way he won them. Phelps also set seven new world records during that incredible week at the Beijing National Aquatics Centre.
Whether we'll ever see such dominance in the pool again remains to be seen.
But as the 10-year anniversary of Phelps' heroics approaches, we take a look back at the week that has gone down in swimming folklore.
How Ian Thorpe's comments motivated Michael Phelps
Having won six Olympic gold medals in Athens four years earlier, Phelps' chances of breaking Spitz's record captured the attention of the international media long before the start of Beijing 2008.
Most experts believed seven or more golds for one athlete was impossible. Among them was Ian Thorpe, one of Phelps' swimming heroes.
Before the start of the Olympics, Thorpe said: "I have said before that I don't think he can do the eight, and still believe that. Mind you, if there is any person on the planet who is capable, it is him. It's sad, but I just don't think it will happen.
"But he is going to blow the world away, even if he doesn't achieve what he sets out to achieve. There are so many good swimmers out there. The standard is incredibly high.
"You've got to look at each of his individual races. He's up against incredible competition at the moment. Even some of his events that he has always been stronger in, like the 200m individual medley – that distance isn't there any more.
"If he achieves, say, five gold medals, the world should salute that. He is one of the greatest athletes in the world. I just admire his tenacity in everything he does – in the pool, training out of the pool, in everything. He has set his targets and pursues them."
The comments from Thorpe, and everyone else who said it couldn't be done, were used by Phelps to provide even more motivation and drive.
Michael Phelps gold medals - the first six races
To win eight gold medals, Phelps needed to swim an astonishing 17 races in just nine days.
The glare of the world's media was firmly on him as he walked out for his first final on August 10, 2008 – the 400m individual medley. Would he fall at the first hurdle? Not a chance. Phelps blasted to his first gold medal in a world record time of 4:03.84. One down, seven to go.
The next day, he was part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team that set a world record of 3:08.24 to overhaul favourites France and earn him his second gold.
24 hours later, Phelps set yet another world record, this time winning the 200m freestyle in 1:42.96. Three golds, three world records. Could Thorpe be wrong?
August 13 was to prove a very tough day for Phelps if he was to keep his bid on track, as he was scheduled to compete in two finals within the space of an hour.
He certainly didn't take it easy in the 200m butterfly final, delivering yet another world record of 1:52.03 on the way to gold number four, despite losing his vision when his goggles filled with water.
Unable to see, Phelps counted his strokes – an old technique drilled into him by coach Bob Bowman – and touched the wall perfectly.
With less than 50 minutes to rest before the start of the 4x200m freestyle relay final, you could forgive Phelps for grabbing every minute of recuperation he could possibly get. Not so. Phelps went out first in the relay, and swam the second fastest split in history (1:43.31) to send the USA on their way to gold.
Two days later, Phelps was back for his signature event, the 200m individual medley. Unbeaten for eight years, many saw this gold medal as a formality, and so it proved.
Yet again though, Phelps rewrote the record books with a world's best time of 1:54.23 to beat his nearest challenger, Hungary's Laszlo Cseh, by more than two seconds.
A defining moment for Michael Phelps - the 100m butterfly final
It will go down as one of the most dramatic swimming races in Olympic history. August 16, 2008 – when Michael Phelps claimed his seventh gold medal of Beijing 2008.
Many onlookers felt this was the race that would be one too far for Phelps.
Standing in his way was Serbian Milorad Čavić, who had scratched the 100m free in order to be fully ready for this final. He was the favourite, having had the better of Phelps in the heats and the semi-final.
At 50m, it looked like the doubters would be proved correct. Phelps was seventh at the turn, and Čavić was surging ahead.
Somehow, Phelps dug deep and carved his way through to level the Serbian. The tension was unbearable, those final few seconds felt like minutes. Who would touch first? Amazingly, it was Phelps, by the narrowest margin possible – 0.01 seconds.
Despite having to settle for silver, Čavić later described the race as the greatest moment of his life. "I've accepted defeat, and there's nothing wrong with losing to the greatest swimmer there has ever been," he said afterwards.
Eight gold medals for Michael Phelps - the record is broken
Never has there been so much attention on a men's 4x100m medley relay final!
And the way the previous week had unfolded, it probably wasn't a surprise when another world record fell for Phelps and his team mates.
Phelps swam the third leg in 50.15 as the USA went on to win gold in a new world's best time of 3:29.34. It was mission accomplished. Phelps had done it. Eight gold medals from eight finals.
Watch Michael Phelps win 8 Olympic gold medals at Beijing 2008
'A dream come true' - What Michael Phelps said
"I wanted to do something nobody ever did," said Phelps after winning that history-making eighth gold medal. "This goes hand in hand with my goal of changing swimming.
"This is all a dream come true. Doing all best times. Winning every race. Everything was accomplished that I wanted to do. It's been one fun week, that's for sure.
"I want to be the first Michael Phelps, not the second Mark Spitz."
'A very special accomplishment' - What coach Bob Bowman said
Phelps' long-time coach Bob Bowman said immediately after Beijing 2008 that he didn't think the achievement could ever be replicated. So far, he's been proved right.
Bowman told journalists: "I can’t imagine that it’s possible for someone to do better within the program we have.
"If they want to add a couple of days then maybe, but that was a very special accomplishment and we’re not looking to replicate it.
"We’re just going to try and move forward and set some other goals. I think this is a high watermark in terms of the total number of medals."
Michael Phelps Olympic Medals - the stats
Had Michael Phelps been a country, he would have been fourth in the medal table for gold medals won when he arrived at the starting blocks for the 4x100m medley relay.
Incredibly, he would have been placed 15th in the overall medal table thanks to his previous seven golds.
Phelps made his Olympics debut as a 15-year-old at Sydney in 2000, and went on to represent the USA at five Olympic Games.
- Gold Medals: 23
- Silver Medals: 3
- Bronze Medals: 2
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