It’s not the cricket that I have to admire the most, cricket has remained one of the sports for me which I enjoy following even in the tough schedule of life. But apart from cricket if there is one sport which makes me follows it like no other then it is definitely the swimming although reasons are clear but if there is one reason which has edge over others and then it’s without a doubt one of the all-time greatest Olympians who has ever entered this arena across his career and set almost surreal records which are completely difficult to be touched or even if we believe it will be surpassed it won’t be wrong.
Michael Phelps – The name which has set the benchmark of what is an idea of greatness and how it looks like. Entertainer, magician or once in a blue moon athlete well do you have any other words you must have but the words are less to describe this legend of the sport.
2000 was the debut year for Michael Phelps in the Olympics for the USA which was the start of something special where he set the record of youngest to set a record in swimming while ending his 200m butterfly race in 1:54.58.
In the 2004 Olympics at Athens, Phelps won 6 gold medals followed by 8 gold medals in 2008 Beijing. In the next two Olympics Phelps bagged 11 gold medals (6 gold medals in 2012) (5 gold medals in 2016 with one silver under his belt).
After the 2016 Rio Olympics, the great Michael Phelps retired from this sport with 23 gold, 3 three and two bronze medals in his cabinet. Even to consider the medals tally of Micheal Phelps, 23 gold medals is more than 161 countries who have ever featured in Olympic events so far. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps shattered every breakpoint and set the record of 8 gold medals in a single edition of any Olympics. In 1972 Spitz won 7 gold medals in one Olympic season which Phelps outperformed in 2008 Beijing Olympics with 8 gold medals in his cabinet which is still a record under his name.
Although Michael Phelps has 6 gold medals in 2004 Athens which was his previous best but later in 2008 he created the record while tops the list of most number of gold medals in a single edition of Olympics. While in the on-going Tokyo Olympics season USA swimmer Caleb Dressel has confirmed the four gold medals by the individual in single Olympics. If he claims one more gold he will enter the club with Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi who won five gold medals in one Olympics.
Dressel makes it four!
A fourth gold at #Tokyo2020 for #USA's Caeleb Dressel as he wins the men's 50m freestyle with an Olympic Record time of 21.07.@fina1908 #Swimming @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/mjnlsBZiQu
Also Read | Greatest Olympic Swimmers
