I had never missed any of his swimming competition in Beijing. Not that I was already a fan. I was not. He’s had advertisements for NBC in relation to the Olympics coverage, and that’s when I first saw him. I thought he was going to be like some other young athletes who would just come and go. I thought he was just one rich kid pursuing a goal he desired after being bored of having a life made for him.
Even before his first final competition started, the media- like an oracle had already anticipated an 8 gold medals around his neck. And since the cable network had the swimming competition covered and televised live unlike basketball, then I was drawn to the current of the pool leading me to cheer for Michael Phelps.
It was not during his first race even. Back then I thought it should be easy for him to win that race since he was the record holder in the pool. And true enough, in the midst of a cheering crowd where everyone came equal he lived up to all expectations. And then came the 4x100m freestyle relay. It was, in a single word- amazing. The whole time I was standing infront of my television set cheering and yelling just like what Phelps was doing for his teammate Jason Lezak. Right there and then, I knew that this guy- 23 years of age… seven years younger than me, deserves the worldwide admiration. Deserves my respect.
Over a week now since he materialized his eight-gold medal goal, people are still talking about him. After the closing of the Olympics, Michael Phelps is still all over the place. I for one still has my admiration for him intact. It will never go away now. His competition laid down moral lessons and values that any person can use even after leaving the Water Cube. I for one am impressed at how he handled all the pressure in the competition. I am awed by his humility amidst the success and popularity that he has right now. In all his interviews he never said anything negative toward his competitors- be it the French Alain Bernard or the Aussie Ian Thorpe. He took remarks- especially negative ones, to his own advantage. It fires him. But most of all, I am amazed at how he values his family. He takes pride in being a loving son who would search for his Mom in the middle of the crowd everytime he finished a race. In that Olympic week when the whole world was watching he stood up as an example of a good American son any son (or daughter) should have been.
I must admit that I’m only glued to the Olympics because of Michael Phelps. Even when my tv is off, his name continues to echo through each individual who took pride of having an Olympian like him.
He is a monster underwater. But he is very humble and I admire him a lot!
oh yes, he is unstoppable underwater, but that’s not what admires me the most. it’s his human nature that makes him admirable. and I am sure that is also something that you like about him.
he is built like a fish i must say!i have read some facts about him that he eat a lot and that his hands are not proportional to his body..
yes he eats alot…though it’s justified coz with all his workouts, he is also burning them all instantly. As they say, he is genetically tailored for swimming. Its his size-14 feet that enables him to make powerful kicks.