Michael Phelps Wins Four Medals in Three Days
There are some sports that dominate the summer Olympics. In my house one of those sports is swimming. Of course, in the 2004 Olympics it was hard not to watch the swimming competition. Michael Phelps had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats back then and it seems like he’s not letting up when it comes time for 2008.
As the USA Swimming National Championships wrap up, Michael Phelps is showing us what he is made of in comparison to the others that are out there. Phelps dominates these meets with grace, precision, and speed unlike any other. The funny thing is when he came out and took over this meet; he didn’t even have to try. It just came naturally to him.
On Thursday night, he placed third for the 400-meter freestyle. Of course, 32 minutes later he was back in the pool to win the 100-meter butterfly and he didn’t just win. He created a record. This win was his fourth in three days. Some have noted that Phelps seems boyishly surprised at his win, as if it were nothing special.
Phelps arrived for the meet on Monday and he signed up for things that he normally does not swim. He signed up for the 200-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter backstroke amongst other things. As he strolled in and signed up, wearing his Detroit Tigers baseball cap, he acted as if he were there with the intent to have a good time.
It has to be nice to be Michael Phelps. Despite not usually competing in the 200-meter backstroke Phelps smoked his competition. In fact, he missed the world record by a measly .3 of a second. Meanwhile, Phelps says that he’s been taking it easy recently and he should be in ten times the shape he really is in right now. The break he is speaking of comes off the heels of seven gold medals and five records at the World Championships. Since March, he’s taken a break and hasn’t been training as much, if at all.
You can see Phelps dedication when others are collecting medals and Phelps is hopping in another pool to get in some practice lengths before collecting his rare, less than gold medal. Phelps was not only the most fit contender in the pool this week, he also looked ready to go no matter how soon his races were together.
Despite winning a good chunk of his events and placing well in others, Phelps said that his times were not where he wants them, but meets like this are about competing in all forms. Phelps took on a schedule of 10 events in five days. Part of this may be to start working on his recovery time. If he can shave some time off of his recovery time he will have an even better shot at beating the record of seven gold medals (Phelps wants to win eight, rather than tying) made by Mark Spitz in 1972.
Phelps begins a serious training schedule with the Olympics in mind in September. Where he trains in Michigan there is a clock on the wall that counts down to the days he has before his big moment in 2008. Phelps’ original schedule included six days of training, but Phelps is serious. He’s decided to train seven days a week, 320 days straight to get in the best shape of his life for the Olympic trials. Phelps says this is his last show to do something no one else has ever done. He doesn’t want to harbor any regrets.
Phelps is out to win in 2008 and if anyone can do it, it looks like it will be him.
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