THE UNITED STATES OF PHELPS

Something has just dawned on me about Michael Phelps’ unbelievable achievements in the Water Cube at the Beijing Olympics. The ‘Baltimore Bullet’ – by himself – would be lying tied sixth position in the Medals Table. To be honest, that is for want of a better word…insane!

The 23-year-old swimmer all but confirmed his status as the ‘Greatest Olympian of All Time’ with his record haul of eight gold medals in one Olympic games – beating Mark Spitz’s seven gold medals from Munich in 1972.

Agonising. Dramatic. Intense. Exciting. Breathless. Exhilarating. There are not enough words in the English language to describe the feelings during Phelps’ quest.

France had the 4x200m freestyle relay all wrapped up when 100m freestyle Olympic Champion Alain Bernard left the blocks on the final leg. In fact, it was there race until Jason Lezak of the USA began pulling himself over the water faster than he has ever done so before or will ever manage again. Lezak reeled in and overtook Bernard with metres to go and the first obstacle to Phelps’ dream had been overcome – in breathtaking fashion.

The remainder of the first six gold medals – matching his own record from the 2004 Athens Olympics – were achieved with consummate ease. Phelps simply – to put it bluntly – battered his opponents without even a cursory glance. He was ‘in the zone’ and the rest knew they had no hope of living with ‘The Man’.

However, gold number seven was the one Phelps himself was – and this is an assumption - dreading. The 100m butterfly. The only event he does not hold the world record in. The event he was beatable in…possibly.

Mirolad Cavic of Serbia, the world record holder, knew as he walked out for the final that he was the man with the chance to end Phelps’ pursuit of greatness. Better yet, he knew he could do it.

For the first time all week, Phelps’ usually flawless start failed him and he turned at the 50m mark in sixth place. Not only was the dream dying, it was falling apart at the seams. Would he even medal? Now was the time for the champion inside Phelps’ mind to pull his tired body into gear.

Fortunately for him, his second major weapon was firing on all cylinders. Throughout the week, anybody near Phelps approaching the turn found themselves – to all intents and purposes – a country mile behind. As the swimmers re-surfaced Phelps appeared alongside fellow American Ian Crocker in second position, but Cavic was clear, a long way clear at that.

Now he needed his biggest weapon. His heart. His desire. His champion’s spirit, whatever you want to call it, he has it in abundance.

In trademark style, arguably the greatest athlete of all time, laid siege to the Serbian and began to claw back the gap stroke by stroke. However, Cavic countered the threat and appeared to have fought ‘The Great Michael Phelps’ and emerged victorious.

Any other chasing swimmer, at any other time, in any other place and Cavic would have cruised to victory. Not here, not now, not with Michael Phelps on the hunt. As Cavic completed his final stroke he was still half a body length clear and it still seemed over, he had done it. But he hadn’t. As Cavic glided towards the wall, Phelps threw his arms furiously over one last time. Was it enough?

Why did anyone even wonder? The boy from Baltimore won, by a whole 0.01 seconds - in terms of distance, he won by less than 5mm. It is quite possibly the only time during whole meet that a swimmer touched the wall with their arms above the water…now they will wonder why they ever glide towards it. Phelps said afterwards that he did not care if he hit the wall, he would go through it for the gold medal.

In case you can’t tell, I was a little excited throughout this race. There is something about seeing sporting history unfold in front of your eyes that makes you want it to happen. Perhaps it’s because Phelps comes across as a likeable person – with the reputation held by many of his countrymen, it is perhaps surprising that a person labelled ‘The Greatest of All Time’ is so modest and understated.

The moment Phelps clinched the seventh gold, to match Spitz’s record, is something I will never forget and in years to come will become like Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick, Solskjaer’s injury time winner, Tiger Woods winning the US Open on one leg and Federer versus Nadal. Where were you when Phelps won when he had lost?

Of course, the 4x100m medley relay was the last of the eight but after the 100m butterfly was there any doubt that the Americans would win this one. Fittingly it was Phelps – and his new ‘best mate’ Lezak – that brought it home for the USA after Aaron Piersol and Brendan Hansen had allowed the dangerous Australians a halfway lead. Cue Phelps’ destruction on the butterfly leg. Cue Lezak holding off the 100m freestyle world record holder Eamon Sullivan. Cue mass hysteria in the packed stands of the Water Cube. Cue the eighth gold medal.

There is no doubt Michael Phelps has left a telling mark on these Olympics in a fashion that no other, not even the frighteningly quick Usain Bolt, can match. Beijing 2008 will be remembered for Michael Phelps relentless pursuit of eight gold medals and little else.

Some still claim that ‘although eight is a great achievement, it was only swimming’…to them I inform you: “Michael Phelps – on his own – won as many gold medals as Russia.”