It was the big talking point on the eve of the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games. Could Michael Phelps match the
achievements of his compatriot, the great American swimmer
Mark Spitz? At Munich 1972,
Spitz dominated in the pool, winning an unprecedented
seven gold medals. But 36 years later, Phelps was
planning an assault of his own. Emulating Spitz would require Phelps to compete 17
races in nine days, swimming against
the best in the world. Ian Thorpe, the Australian
who won three gold medals at Sydney 2000,
thought Phelps couldn’t do it. Thorpe was Phelps’s boyhood
hero. He had his poster
on his bedroom wall. Phelps didn’t like being told what he could and could not
achieve, and used Thorpe’s words
as a motivational tool… ..because so far in Phelps’s
young life, normal rules did not apply. Just look at some of the
numbers. Phelps made his Olympic debut
at 15 years old, finishing fifth in
the 200m butterfly in Sydney. He was the youngest male
swimmer to represent his country
at the Olympics for 68 years. Seven months later, still aged
15, Phelps set a new world record
in the 200m butterfly, the youngest male ever to set
a swimming world record. He grew to 6’4″
with a wingspan of 6’7″, bigger than a fully-grown
golden eagle, and size 14 shoes. He had only one coach, Bob
Bowman, who said Phelps didn’t miss a training session
for six years. Not one single day. A typical training session
included two and a half hours of uninterrupted swimming. Phelps would typically cover
10,000m. To keep going, Phelps ate
at least 8,000 calories a day. At 19, Phelps dominated
the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. He won two team gold medals. He won four individual gold
medals. It was like Spitz in 1972,
almost. Over the next four years, Phelps won a further
13 world titles, setting another nine world
records. Michael Phelps – no name
had frightened other swimmers this much since Jaws. But could he match Mark the
Shark? As Phelps lined up
for his first final in Beijing, the world’s media
was there to watch. Maybe this great quest would
end at the first hurdle. The medley tests
a swimmer’s ability in breaststroke, backstroke,
butterfly and freestyle. Phelps set down a marker
in that opening race, winning by a distance and
securing gold in a new world record time. The quest might have ended
with the relay event, but the Americans overturned the favourites in dramatic
style. It was a huge step towards
Phelps’s target. Phelps was defending his 200m
freestyle title from Athens. He also secured an easy win
in the 200m butterfly. A tired Phelps had only 50
minutes before his next race, another relay. Phelps elected to go first,
giving himself no excuse not to empty the
tank. It would prove
a smart strategy, securing gold medal
number five. The individual medley showed
Phelps at his very best. It was maybe the least
surprising win of the entire Games – Phelps hadn’t lost in this
event for eight years. Gold medal number six.
And number seven? Not if Milorad Cavic had
anything to do with it. The 100m butterfly was the
Serb’s event, his speciality. It would prove to be one of the
great races in Olympic history. Cavic led at the turn, with
Phelps back in seventh place. Cavic still looking strong as
they come off the final turn. Crocker in lane six
is close to him and Phelps is making up ground. He was seventh on the turn but he’s coming up really fast
on Cavic. Can Cavic hold him off? Here comes Phelps. Cavic and Phelps are almost
neck and neck now, Phelps still making up ground, neck and neck.
Who is going to touch first? Was it Cavic? It was Phelps! And Phelps gets the gold medal. In the end, Phelps won by
the smallest margin possible – one 1/100th of a second. Phelps had climbed the
mountain. He had matched Spitz, he had won seven gold medals
in a single Olympic Games. And he wasn’t even finished
yet. He swam the third leg
of the 100m relay. Gold medal for the USA, an
eighth gold medal for Phelps. Perhaps the greatest
performance in the history of the Olympic Games. And here’s another number – Phelps received a massive bonus from his sponsors for his
achievement. He used it to start a new
foundation, helping young swimmers.
100 thoughts on “Michael Phelps’ Record Breaking Eight Gold Medals in Beijing | The Olympics on the Record”
The greatest Olympian that has ever lived. No debate
He only won seven goal medals in 2008, still very impressive🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Cavic touched the wall first, which was clear as day. The committee stated Cavic did not touch a sensor. I was like huh? That was a lie! Acting like seven gold medals was not impressive! smh
Cheater
That is a photo finish
legend.. God
I swear there's something w/ naming ur kid Michael
1) Michael Phelps – Best swimmer in the world
2) Michael Jordan – Best basketball player in the world
3) Michael Jackson – Best entertainer in the world
Good but not quite Usain Bolt…
Hello Phillip u r 🏊 super
Even my daughters also a swimmers her main stroke is butterfly before her event she
Always watches ur videos and she wins 🏊🏊🙏
GOAT
Wow!He's incredible
It,s all about Hardwork
Michael phileps
great Sportmenspirit
Jason lezak deserves some credit he carried Phelps on the 100 free relay
Americans are cheats. Thats all
3:37 Phelps didn't win in athens… he got bronze between thorpe and hoogenband
Legend. The greatest of all time.
Usain bolt 9!!!!!
If you ever read this Michael, you have inspired me to be the best that I can in my life.
That's not a normal human. He's aquaman
Actualmente cuántos años tiene Phelps ?
Beijing Olympics will always be my favorite :
1. Phelps's record 8 medals – unreal ♔
2. Lightning Bolt stunning the world ⚡
3. Roger Federer winning Olympic Gold with compatriot Wawrinka 😍❤
4. Leo Messi's Argentina winning Olympic gold 😍🔥
5. And finally India's first ever individual Olympic gold by Abhinav Bindra 🔥✊
BEST OLYMPIC EVER 🙌🙌
I love him so much
Which at that time was only 8 more 🥇than won by more than 80 countries put together, in Olympics history. Just saying.
I really feel that Jason Lezak has been overlooked
Milorad Čavić(whose name you completely miss-pronounced) beat Phelps. Čavić touched the wall first, images prove it.
He’s an legend
If he could be an indian athelete with that much number of gold medals,,
He could have billionaire here,,
USA is giving just 1 million😪😪
Name of the song at 2:05
China was so fortunate to have phelps/team america and bolt/team jamaica putting on such a great show
Greatest Olympic performance and greatest Olympic athlete ever. No one will ever come close.
It is an absolute disgrace that you so casually glazed over Jason Lezak's anchor on the 400 free relay, as if Phelps did this all on his own.
I call hax
God his eyebrows were so tweezed lol
Still remember Beijing. So insane to watch.
Cole Phelps’ long lost son
Master in swiming M.P…
8000 Calories a day, he certainly represents the US diet
the greatest of all time
Phelps gives people lesson Practice makes perfect.
ITS THORPE, I LOVE IAN THORPE
WAS THAT SODA??
Ian Thorpe qué iba a querer que Phelps fuera mejor que él. Es que recuerdo que en Sidney aquel era el dios. Si mal no recuerdo la esposa de Spitz tampoco hablaba a favor de Phelps. Todos en su momento quieren ser eternos.
i can tell you with confidence that michael did not win the 200m freestyle in 1:57.70 no a single chance
3:42
Indurans workout for swmmimg
YEAH RITALIN MAN………..1 A A TOTAL ALTERED BODY WITH RITALIN , THATS LIKE COCAINE
genes…. im living in difficulty mode
Did he say perhaps the greatest performance at the Olympics games? No perhaps. It is the greatest performance at the Olympic games.
Fish are friends not food
kudos to phelps, he really is something. but even olympia admitted that cavic was the first to touch the finish line but the pressure from the media for phelps to out-do spitz made the decision
If there’s one thing i learnt from this video it’s that Michael phelps is HUGE
Michael Phelps wins 23 gold medals
2008 is truly the best olympics, it was the rise of phelps and bolt
Pheleps and bolt…
Cavic won 100m dolphin Olympics finals in Beijing, not Phelps. It was pure robbery, among the "Top 10 Hall of Shame" in the history of sports.
Our high School swim practice is longer than his and we don’t stop either
The greatest to ever do it and the first celebrity that I followed on Facebook🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
This guy's voice is annoying
😯😮😮😮👍
Swimming isn't really a sport though…
It came down to an unknown kid from Singapore to finally stop Phelps in Rio. As a Singaporean I’m proud of our legend killer Joseph Schooling.
Man… what a goat!
Lol I swim for NBAC
Phelps is GOAT
He already beat the old greek record for most medals.
have you ever noticed Phelps sounds like fish?
Illuminati confirmed
Phelps is not a human, he's a fish.
If you don't have the footage in real time with the actual TV announcer's call, your video is worthless.
Also think about the amount of steroids he was unfortunately on
فيليبس أفضل سباح في الماضي والحاضر والمستقبل
No offense but he didn’t eat 8,000 calories a day. Go talk to whoever gave you that information.
My uncles friend knows Michele Phelps like if you belive me comment if not.
The greatest swimmer in history
Why are there like 50 things you can win
Lnhggngnghtb
What’s the song used at the beginning?
how many medals for swimming?!!u kiddin me?there should be only one medal for swimming.this is way too many for one sport.
That 100m win gave me goosebumps along with tears of joy.
Best Olympian that ever lived
Despite being 5 at the time I can still remember being so excited during the being so excited in the Beijing
Legend
Funny enough, in Sega’s Beijing 2008 video game it says that Mark Spitz held the record with 7. Yeah maybe should of gone to the future.
Edit: It’s not Mario & Sonic, it’s just the normal game.
Legend!
❌☹️❌Wrong❌☹️❌
Individual medley order is
Bu -> Ba -> Br -> Fr
no one talking about how he was swimming so much while eating 8000 calories???)
Cheater
Outstanding athletes with an amazing amount of olympic medals. Although they are variations in the same discipline. Imo , what impresses the most , is if an athlete win medals 3,4 or 5 olympic games in a row , not the amount of medals. It’s easier to win more medals in swimming , track , shooting & gymnastics than in boxing , high jump , wrestling or triathlon.
This is some fake commentary. In the 100 fly phelps started his last stroke when the commentator knew that phelps won cause he is a bad actor.
3.42 it says 200 free but the race was the 200 im
I only swim free
you mean 23 gold medal!
أسطوره لكن أنا اري ان ثورب الاسترالي هو الاقوي.لوتقابل ثورب وفيلبس في نفس العمر وتسابقا لي 10 سنوات قادمه ثورب سوف يفوز في 100 متر حر و200 متر حر لكن لاشك ان الاسطوره تتمثل في حصد الالقاب.🇳🇿👓✌🏽🇺🇸
Машина. Сейчас его сменил в сборной в принципе достойно Калеб Дрессел
Michael Phelps always knew how to win and he'd never let his teammates down. He well deserved what he'd achieved as he was so disciplined that he'd never missed a training day for six years.
Super atleta
2:25 – You should probably also mention that he also won 2 bronze medals at the 2004 Games.
3:10 – The Individual Medley order is wrong; it should be Butterfly, Backstroke, Breastroke, Freestyle.
3:38 – He was NOT defending his 200FR title from Athens – he placed 3rd in Athens after Thorpe & Hoogenband.
3:40 – You showed the Preliminaries of the 200IM instead of the Finals of the 200FR.
3:44 – This was not an 'easy win' for Phelps – his goggles had filled entirely with water & he couldn't see for 2/3 of the race.
Who are you paying to edit these? Chances are you could find MANY other people who should have that job – especially as the official Olympics channel, this is embarassing.
3.42 the time is wrong
And they say The great MICHAEL PHELPS is not an alien:)
comeon FBI admit it… hes a fish
Always be Phelps top fan 💓 I will miss him swim in the Olympics game. 😔
If I was Phelps I'd trade 50 gold medals to not look like a downs syndrome kid
(KNOW-LEDGE)!! THE! (PHENO-M-ENAL)!!! MICHAEL!!! PHELPS!!! IS! THE! GREATEST! (AL-L)!!! ROUND! OLY-M-PIC!!! (SWIM-MER)!!! IN! THE! HISTORY! (ARCHAEOL-S)!!! OF! OLY-M-PIC!!! (SWIM-MING)!!! THE! (G,O,A,T/OLY-M-PIAN/SWIM-MER)!!! IN! THE! HISTORY! (ARCHAEOL-S)!!! OF! (HU-M-AN)!!! BEINGS! (SWIM-MING)!!! ON! THIS! (EARTH)!!! THIS! IS! (COM-MON)!!! HAPPENS! (REG-U-L-ARL-Y)!!! US!!! LIKE! (A-L-WAYS)!!! THIS! YOUTUBE! (FI-L-M)!!! IS! REA-L-LY!!! (BIO-GRAPH-ICAL-LY)!!! KNOW-LEDGE-AB-L-L-Y!!! GOOD! FACT! BASED! ON! THE! (PHENO-M-ENAL-)!!! MICHAEL!!! PHELPS!!! THE! (G,O,A,T/OLY-M-PIAN/SWIM-MER)!!! THIS! (FIL-M)!!! HAS! (M-EGA)!!! AUDIO!!! SOIDS! HEAR! IT!
swimming= Michael Phelps ,,