Olympic swimming

[daisy]

I watched the 400 IM while I was still in Israel - I was in a house where the games were on but not everyone was watching. I didn't even know who the individuals were on the american team, as the announcements were turned down - but I was watching the race, and in the last leg I started cheering like mad - but the way a swimmer cheers - PULL!!! PULL!!! (like master, I also used to swim!)

and I didn't even realize it, but the other folks in the room (only one of whom was an English-speaker) stopped their conversation to watch the set and stare at me, and not till the race was over and I was on my feet with both fists in the air screaming YEAH! THAT'S how the US swims!!!! did I realize that everyone was wondering what the heck was so exciting since Israel wasn't even in the water.....

it was an AMAZING race.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Phelps is amazing!
I made my living in the water and it is very very exhausting
I'm paying for all the cold water diving through the years
I have a very arthritic lower back now
jumping from helo with 100lbs on my back didnt help either


I cant express the respect I have for Phelps!
he's an animal!

 

[Tangs Rule]

6 races, 6 gold medals, 6 world records. What else can we say? Frickin amazing.

 

[masterswimmer]

I am amazed at the rest of the field when Phelps swims. It's one thing to win a race. But he's supposedly swimming against the best in the world. He's not winning the races by .01 or .23. He's winning by SECONDS!!!! It's incredible the domination he's displaying.

swimmer (or so I wish )

 

[Tangs Rule]

Last night, during the 200 IM, they were talking about the backstroke being his weakest stroke. Yet he still won the split. I think the 2008 ESPY male athlete of the year is already carved in stone.

 

[masterswimmer]

Last night, during the 200 IM, they were talking about the backstroke being his weakest stroke. Yet he still won the split. I think the 2008 ESPY male athlete of the year is already carved in stone.

Actually breaststroke is Phelps weakest stroke. Backstroke is his second weakest (if you can call it weak ).

Phelps is double jointed in a few places. Two of those places are his knees. He has the ability to generate propulsion on his upkick as well as his down kick. That's why his butterfly is so dominant.

swimmer

 

[Tangs Rule]

Ok, so I got the stroke wrong , but either way he still won the split on his worst stroke. They mentioned that last night and then they showed a shot of him under water and how his double joints work. It looks like a nice advantage.

It's also helps that he has the legs of a 6 foot person and the torso of a 6' 8" person.

 

[Tangs Rule]

7 Races..........7 golds...........this one by .01 seconds!!! The man is phenominal.

 

[nanchil]

yep .01 sec....unbelivable

 

[masterswimmer]

Speechless

 

[lunner]

Awesome.

 

[Tangs Rule]

8 golds!!! Way to go Michael Phelps!! Mark Spitz (who is graciously on tv but a jackass when not in front of millions of people) and Ian Thorpe................HAHAHAHAHAH.

 

[crox99]

Michael is definately the most dominant athlete on the planet. Watching the Olympics on TV brings me a lot of my youth memories..........I quitted swimming 2 months before a National competition in Italy because I was having some serious leg problems.:irked:

 

[masterswimmer]

Do I hear cheers for Phelps as Athlete of the year?

 

[Tangs Rule]

Athlete of the year, ahtlete of the decade, quite possibly athlete of the century!!