The Hindu : Sport : Phelps does the incredible

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Phelps does the incredible

With victory in the 4x100m medley relay, he overtakes Spitz’s record

— PHOTO: AP

ANNUS MIRABILIS: Beijing 2008 will be remembered as the Games where Michael Phelps attained an unprecedented eight gold medals.

BEIJING: American Michael Phelps became the first ever athlete to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games here on Sunday as his teammates didn't let him down in the men's 4x100-meter medley relay final at the Beijing Olympics.

"I don't event know what to feel right now. There is so much emotions going through my head, so much excitement. I guess I kind of just want to see my mom," said the 23-year-old wunderkind.

The U.S. team started off strongly with two-time Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol in the 100-meter backstroke leading the first two laps unsurprisingly. But breaststroke specialist Brendan Hansen was still out of form, edged by Japanese breaststroke king Kosuke Kitajima and Australian Brenton Rickard as well.

In the third 100 meters of butterfly, superfish Phelps came from behind vehemently to earn a 0.74 leading margin for the defending champion team and cheered veteran Jason Lezak up to touch the wall first in freestyle stroke in three minutes and 29.34 seconds, shaving 1.34 second off their previous world record set at the Athens Olympic Games four years ago.

Sprinter Eaman Sullivan helped the Australian team improve from the third position to a second finish, completing the race in 3:30.04. Japan snatched the bronze medal in a new Asian record of 3:31.18.

After the last pool event at the Beijing Games, the 25-year-old Peirsol said, "It's an honor to be on the relay, on the team and part of what Michael has done. And it's a great way to end our competition and it was the best relay I ever had. That's all why we are pressured at, to swim for Michael. It's a pleasure to be on that relay, but it by no means is the only thing that's going on."

Phelps equaled legend Mark Spitz' seven-gold mark with a hard-won gold medal in the men's 100-meter butterfly on Saturday and finally added eight to the six gold medals he won in Athens, becoming the most prolific Olympic gold medalist beyond Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis, Paavo Nurmi and Larysa Latynina, who won nine Olympic golds each in their career. -- Xinhua

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