By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer 18 minutes ago
His Olympics looking lost, Michael Phelps decided to flap those gangly arms one more time. Milorad Cavic, inches from spoiling it all, glided along just under the surface, convinced he had won gold. But it didn't matter who was fastest. Just first.
Phelps swam into history with a magnificent finish Saturday, tying Mark Spitz with his seventh gold medal by the narrowest of margins in the 100-meter butterfly.
One-hundredth of a second, the time it takes lightning to strike the ground.
Whew!
"Dream as big as you can dream and anything is possible," Phelps said. "I am sort of in a dream world. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it is real."
Call it the Great Haul of China — and it's not done yet. Phelps has one more race on Sunday, which will likely complete his coronation as the greatest Olympian ever.
Spitz already ceded the title.
"It goes to show you that not only is this guy the greatest swimmer of all time and the greatest Olympian of all time, he's maybe the greatest athlete of all time," said the icon of the 1972 Munich Games. "He's the greatest racer who ever walked the planet."
The finish was so close the Serbian delegation filed a protest and swimming's governing body had to review the tape down to the 10-thousandth of a second.
Phelps thought he lost — until he saw the "1" beside his name on the scoreboard.
"When I did chop the last stroke, I thought that had cost me the race," he said. "But it was actually the opposite. If I had glided, I would have been way too long. I took short, faster strokes to try to get my hand on the wall. I ended up making the right decision."
Phelps' time was 50.58 seconds, the only time in these Olympics that he won an event without breaking the world record.
Not to worry. The 23-year-old from Baltimore has now pulled even with the greatest of Olympic records.
"One word: epic," Spitz told The Associated Press from Detroit. "I'm so proud of what he's been able to do. I did what I did and it was in my day in those set of circumstances. For 36 years it stood as a benchmark. I'm just pleased that somebody was inspired by what I had done. He's entitled to every second of what's occurring to him now.
"I feel a tremendous load off my back."
Phelps will return on Sunday to swim in his final event of these games, taking the butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay. The Americans will be heavily favored to give him his eighth gold, leaving Spitz behind.
Phelps slapped his hands on the water and let out a scream after the astonishing finish. The crowd at the Water Cube gasped — it looked as though Cavic had won — then roared when the "1" popped up beside the American's name.
Cavic's time was 50.59.
The Serbian delegation filed a protest, but conceded that Phelps won after reviewing the tape provided by FINA, swimming's governing body. USA Swimming spokeswoman Jamie Olson said the tape was slowed to one frame every 10-thousandth of a second to make sure Phelps actually touched first.
It was impossible to tell on regular-speed replays.
"We filed the protest but it is already over," said Branislav Jevtic, Serbia's chief of mission for all sports. "They examined the video and I think the case is closed. The video says (Phelps) finished first.
"In my opinion, it's not right, but we must follow the rules. Everybody saw what happened."
FINA referee Ben Ekumbo of Kenya said there was no doubt who won after a review of the super-slow replay.
"It was very clear that the Serbian swimmer touched second after Michael Phelps," he said. "One was stroking and one was gliding."
Cavic still wasn't sure he actually lost, but said he would accept FINA's ruling.
"I'm stoked with what happened," Cavic said. "I don't want to fight this. People will be bringing this up for years and saying you won that race. If we got to do this again, I would win it."
Cavic watched the replay himself.
"It's kind of hard to see," he said. "I know I had a long finish and Michael Phelps had a short finish."
A notoriously slow starter — Phelps was seventh out of eight at the turn — he really turned it on with the return lap, his long arms gobbling up huge chunks of water as he closed the gap on Cavic and fellow American Ian Crocker, the world record-holder.
As they approached the finish, with Phelps' head in line with Cavic's shoulder, the Serb took his final big stroke and glided underwater toward the gold. Phelps, his timing a bit off but fully aware of where he was, did another mini-stroke, propelling his upper body out of the water, swooping his arms in a huge circular motion and slamming the wall with his hands on the follow-through.
Phelps watched the replay on the video board, then saw it again in the massage area.
"I saw it slow down frame by frame," he said. "It's almost too close to see."
It was reminiscent of the 100 fly finish at Athens four years ago, where Crocker appeared to have the race won but Phelps got him at the wall by 0.04.
"I thought four one-hundredths was close and I was shocked then," Phelps said. "I'm even more shocked now than I was then. One-hundredth is the smallest margin of victory in our sport. I guess it's pretty cool."
Makes that 400 free relay, in which Jason Lezak chased down France's Alain Bernard to win by eight-hundredths of a second, look like a blowout.
"My last two Olympics I've been able to nail my finishes, and it's been by four one-hundredths and one one-hundredths," Phelps said. "I'm happy and kind of at a loss for words."
As if Phelps needed any extra motivation, his coach, Bob Bowman, took note of Cavic's reported comments a day earlier that it would be best for the sport if the American lost.
On their way to breakfast, Bowman brought it up.
"I wasn't going to at first, then I was saying to myself, 'This race is going to be very tight and I'm going to use everything I got,' so I put it out there," Bowman said, chuckling. "Maybe it was worth a hundredth."
Just enough.
"It fires me up more than anything," Phelps said. "I always welcome comments. It definitely motivates me even more."
Cavic didn't leave anything to chance, either. Right before the race, coach Mike Bottom shaved a few stray hairs off the back of his swimmer's neck, looking for any edge he could get.
Phelps collected a $1 million bonus that Speedo, one of his sponsors, first offered four years ago if he could tie or break Spitz's record. Phelps failed to cash in at the Athens Games, where he won six golds and two bronzes, but he got it on his second try.
What's left? Already the winningest Olympian ever with 13 golds and most likely a 14th before he leaves Beijing, Phelps will have another thing to shoot for at the 2012 London Games. Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina captured a record 18 medals in her career: nine golds, five silvers and four bronzes.
"My big goal is to change the sport of swimming," Phelps said. "I am sure Bob and I can think of some more goals in the next four years."
Phelps set world records in his first six events, some of them by ridiculously large margins. He merely settled for a personal best and Olympic record in the 100 fly, which will at least give Spitz's supporters some reason to gloat: all seven of his wins in Munich were with world records.
But, like Spitz, Phelps is 7-for-7 with a chance for one more.
Or maybe that should be 6.99-for-7.
Andrew Lauterstein of Australia won the bronze medal in 51.12. Expected to be Phelps' main challenger, Crocker was again denied the first individual gold of his career. He didn't even win a medal, finishing fourth by a hundredth of a second in 51.13.
"It was a tight one," Crocker said. "I saw my short differential between getting a medal or not, but then I realized Michael's was pretty close, too. I'm really glad that he came out on top.
"It was everything that an Olympic final should be. It doesn't matter who's in the heats, you just got to get out and race and it's anybody's game. It was one of the more intense races that I've been in, which makes it a great way to end the meet."
While the medley relay figures to be nothing more than a coronation, Phelps isn't ready to talk about No. 8.
"It's not over yet," he said. "I really think the Australian team looks great for the relay. It's going to be a race."
Lauterstein was just thrilled to be part of history.
"It was an amazing final," he said. "Every time you race Phelps, you'll have a great race and a great time. Just hearing his arms slap on the block gets your heart racing, he's amazing."
Those arms sure came in handy Saturday.
Overshadowed by Phelps, two more world records fell on the next-to-last day of swimming — the 22nd and 23rd of a lightning-quick week.
Rebecca Adlington of Britain won gold in the 800 freestyle, breaking Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record — the oldest in swimming. Adlington touched in 8:14.10 to crush the mark of 8:16.22 set by the American in Tokyo on Aug. 20, 1989. Alessia Filippi of Italy took the silver and Lotte Friis of Denmark the bronze.
Adlington completed a sweep of the women's distance events in Beijing, having upset American Katie Hoff to win the 400 freestyle. There were no Americans in the field after Hoff and Kate Ziegler were shockingly eliminated in the preliminaries.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe finally won a gold in Beijing, defending her Olympic title in the 200 backstroke with a world record of 2:05.24. She lowered the mark of 2:06.09 set by Margaret Hoelzer at the U.S. trials last month.
Hoelzer not only lost her record but had to settle for silver. Reiko Nakamura of Japan earned the bronze.
No one was happier that Cesar Cielo, who won Brazil's first swimming gold with an upset in the 50 freestyle. He broke down crying on the medal stand and was mobbed by his teammates on deck.
He won in 21.30, lowering his own Olympic mark of 21.34 that he set in the semifinals. Amaury Leveaux of France took the silver in 21.45. Alain Bernard of France, the 100-meter champion, won bronze in 21.49.
World champion Ben Wildman-Tobriner of the United States was fifth and Aussie Eamon Sullivan, the world record-holder and silver medalist in the 100, could only manage sixth.
Also, 41-year-old Dara Torres of the U.S. cruised into the final of the 50 free with the fastest semifinal time, 24.27. Australian teenager Cate Campbell was second at 24.42.
The final is Sunday, the wrapup to a thrilling competition at the Water Cube.
But the legacy of these Olympics is already assured.
The Phelps Games.
___
AP Sports Writers Beth Harris, Andrew Dampf and Steve Wilson and AP National Writer David Crary contributed to this report.
Posts: 1226 | From: Egypt | Registered: Nov 2003
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-------------------- your ass is so tight when you fart only a dog can hear it.when you queef only a cat can hear that one. Posts: 9776 | From: You like If only mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood. | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
He has made history, wow, he is unbelievable no words to describe what he has achieved
-------------------- Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away. Posts: 564 | From: planet earth | Registered: Jan 2008
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yes and i doubt anyone else will do better for many yrs to come.... usa has been kickin butt in volly ball too...
-------------------- your ass is so tight when you fart only a dog can hear it.when you queef only a cat can hear that one. Posts: 9776 | From: You like If only mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood. | Registered: Jul 2007
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quote:Originally posted by tina kamal: yes he is damn good like a fish....
No something is FISHY! I am kinda sceptical about his major success! Too hard to believe!!
Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
No, that would be the Chinese and the 'ages' of their female gymnasts.
Posts: 246 | From: but one life to live | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Some people compare Phelps to Marion Jones. Both of them won many metals without being detected positive. Some claim this is because the US has the most advanced bio-technologies and drugs that can avoid being detected by equipements currently being used for the detection.
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Feb 2008
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quote:Originally posted by karim: They say he swam like a fish because he used to eat foul for breakfast.
I'll bet there were a lot of bubbles in the water when he swam then! Perhaps that is what propelled him! Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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Any other weird explanations out why he was so successful?
Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Strangeways.: Some people compare Phelps to Marion Jones. Both of them won many metals without being detected positive. Some claim this is because the US has the most advanced bio-technologies and drugs that can avoid being detected by equipements currently being used for the detection.
There always have been and always will be this kind of rumours when an athlete is doing something unreal, something that didn't seem to be possible untill now. And I have to admit, it was the first thing what I thought, too. At a certain moemtn we think we'have reached a limit, because faster isn't possible, and then there is an athlete that breaks 7 world-records in one tournament...how can tis be explained??? I just finished an article about topsport and drugs and untill now most athletes who were tested postive used cocaine... BTW, do you know what's the first thing to do is for McEnroe after arriving to play his yearly matches on ATP-Senior Tour? Buying hash or weed.. it's working tranquilising but I never mentioned a more relaxed attitude in him...
Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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Olympic athletes will put many high-tech devices to test
...But future technology might do just that. Gillian Madill, the genetic technologies campaigner for an organization called Friends of the Earth, said athletes already had approached scientists about gene doping.
“The technology is progressing quickly,” she said. “It’s no longer the stuff of science fiction.”
In gene doping, a virus would be used as the vector to deliver a superior form of the gene that dictates an individual athlete’s absolute ceiling for speed or power. The virus would deliver the DNA to blood cells, which would replicate and replace the gene with the superior version.
In a matter of days, the gene-doped athlete gains 4 inches on a vertical jump or shaves 2 seconds in the 800 meters.
“Theoretically, on paper, it looks great,” Madill said. “In practice, they haven’t gotten it to succeed yet. Our position is if you tamper with DNA, you’re creating a form of genetic pollution. You’re tampering with the chemical nature of life. You are physically and chemically altering who a person is.”
For an athlete looking for an extra tenth of a second, the benefit might outweigh the risk.
“Athletes are similar to people with extreme forms of disease. They’re desperate,” Madill said. “They’re going to be willing to take a much bigger risk than other people. I would be scared out of my mind to try it.”
Madill said she had no doubt some Olympians in Beijing will have already experimented with gene doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency is trying to develop a test for it.
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No matter what will be invented, there is always a limit. So, if using gene-doping would influence the indivudual ceiling of an athlete, there still will be a ceiling! So, he or she could possibly excell by unreal results, soon this results will also grow higher by other athletes, because the knowledge never can be kept a secret. 25 years ago we had a major group of sudden death athletes in cycle-racing. They died being in their 20's and nobody could explain why. Now, we know better. Now we know that majority is using doping, because the methods to test became better. So right now we know that the whole sport is rotten, and newcomers have to follow the rest otherwise they won't even come near their times. Don't they see this so called 'records' and the prices they have wun only were temporary, that they were poisening a complete field of sports? There are numbers of examples and numbers of sports that are on the edge of something disasterous as in cycling. If I see female sporters who almost have to shave their beards daily, and are more man like my son is , what can we say about that result??? It's unreal, fake, manipulated. And because millions and millions are earned by it, we all are feeded with our daily base of sports. You know, my FIL quitted being active by his sportsclub in the 50's, because they started to play on a professional base. He said it should take away every aspect how sport should be: a competive and sportive way to fight each other no matter the background. A way to unite, a way to feel more close. He was right, but it is inevitable. As also this doping development is inevitable. I am against it, but we can't stop it. Too much money is going on there...
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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Perhaps that is what propelled him! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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, what can we say about that result??? It's unreal, fake, manipulated.
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