2008 Woodie Awards
Phelps Phanatics
By: Sarah Porri
Issue date: 8/29/08 Section: Sports
If you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you may not know the name Michael Phelps.
In 2004, he attempted a feat unprecedented in Olympic history, win eight gold medals in a single Olympics.
The legendary Mark Spitz won seven in his Olympics, so Phelps set his sights on eight. Phelps fell two short of his goal, only winning six in 2004.
It was still an accomplishment, but to Phelps, it was not enough.
Four years older, Phelps came into these Olympic Games with a country behind him and a team that, for him, became family.
Olympic trials came and went, and Phelps qualified in five individual races, and was favored to swim on three relays.
This program would be the toughest of all, 17 races, with finals being swum in the morning session. There were factors, questions, controversies and more, but at the end of the day, you are still in a 50-meter pool racing against the best in the world.
You have to be better. For Phelps and his teammates, the races of the 29th Olympiad could not have gotten much better or more exciting to witness.
Enter U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte who had his own agenda. He was thought to be the only swimmer to have a chance to stand in Phelps's way of eight gold medals.
Lochte qualified second to Phelps in the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter individual medley. These races were close at Olympic Trials, but Phelps out swam Lochte in both events in the Water Cube, settling for two bronze medals.
However, Lochte was not out of it by a long-shot. He was part of the world record 800-meter freestyle relay winning gold and set a new world record in the 200-meter backstroke, beating out favorite Aaron Perisol for the gold.
Lochte, a noble adversary for Phelps and also a good friend, put forth his best for Olympic glory.
As far as the women's team goes, Natalie Coughlin was the golden girl of these Olympics. She racked up a total of six medals, the most ever by a U.S. female swimmer. Although she didn't get the hype of Phelps, her Olympics were spectacular.
In 2004, he attempted a feat unprecedented in Olympic history, win eight gold medals in a single Olympics.
The legendary Mark Spitz won seven in his Olympics, so Phelps set his sights on eight. Phelps fell two short of his goal, only winning six in 2004.
It was still an accomplishment, but to Phelps, it was not enough.
Four years older, Phelps came into these Olympic Games with a country behind him and a team that, for him, became family.
Olympic trials came and went, and Phelps qualified in five individual races, and was favored to swim on three relays.
This program would be the toughest of all, 17 races, with finals being swum in the morning session. There were factors, questions, controversies and more, but at the end of the day, you are still in a 50-meter pool racing against the best in the world.
You have to be better. For Phelps and his teammates, the races of the 29th Olympiad could not have gotten much better or more exciting to witness.
Enter U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte who had his own agenda. He was thought to be the only swimmer to have a chance to stand in Phelps's way of eight gold medals.
Lochte qualified second to Phelps in the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter individual medley. These races were close at Olympic Trials, but Phelps out swam Lochte in both events in the Water Cube, settling for two bronze medals.
However, Lochte was not out of it by a long-shot. He was part of the world record 800-meter freestyle relay winning gold and set a new world record in the 200-meter backstroke, beating out favorite Aaron Perisol for the gold.
Lochte, a noble adversary for Phelps and also a good friend, put forth his best for Olympic glory.
As far as the women's team goes, Natalie Coughlin was the golden girl of these Olympics. She racked up a total of six medals, the most ever by a U.S. female swimmer. Although she didn't get the hype of Phelps, her Olympics were spectacular.
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