Michael Phelps needs 6 wins in 6 tries
to tie Olympic record
ATHENS As the media scurry for another sound bite, and the corporate suits try to squeeze yet another dollar from his profile, swimmer Michael Phelps offers a shrug.
“I have something here that I want to do,” Phelps said, “and that’s swim fast.”
Good answer, but “swimming fast” only begins to touch on the giant expectations that have accompanied Phelps to Athens.
At 19, he swims every race surrounded by hopes he’ll be the next Olympic legend.
The gold-medal standard is seven, set by swimmer Mark Spitz in the 1972 Games.
Phelps took his first splash with a record-setting victory in the 400-meter individual medley Saturday night, part of a plan that includes five individual events (an Olympic first) and three relays.
But the dream of surpassing Spitz’s record–winning eight gold medals–was dashed Sunday when the U.S. took third in the men’s 4-by-100-meter freestyle relay; the South African team won the race.
Now, Phelps must win each of his next six races in order to tie Spitz, a legend that Phelps hadn’t heard of until he was 16.
Despite Phelps’ versatility, it comes down to two simple facts Monday night in one of the Athens Games’ most anticipated events–the 200-meter freestyle. First, he will be swimming in the weakest of his eight events, and second, he will be competing against one of the best fields ever assembled.
None of those competitors is more distinguished than Australian Ian Thorpe, the star of the 2000 Sydney Games.
The pressure is great for the young swimmer who has become the poster child for U.S. Olympic hopes.
Although Phelps has lapsed into coach-speak in recent interviews, insisting he would “be happy with one gold medal,” he knows better. So does the rest of the world.
Already a millionaire, Phelps and his portfolio will rise in conjunction with his star power. Sponsor Speedo has agreed to pony up a $1 million bonus if he wins seven gold medals.
His marketing ties to Visa, the “Got Milk” ad campaign, AT&T Wireless and PowerBar are expected to grow exponentially. Vanity Fair, Time, FHM magazine, ESPN the Magazine and others are likely to descend, wanting more photo shoots for their covers.
And maybe he can get a few more gadgets for his Cadillac Escalade, which includes a customized stereo, three TVs and an Xbox.
“What would seven gold medals be worth?” Phelps’ Octagon agent Peter Carlisle, asked recently. “Nobody knows, but as a rough estimate, I’d say [$30 to $50 million] over time.”
Not bad for a kid who still lives at home with his mom in a Baltimore County, Md., townhouse.
At 6 feet 4, 187 pounds, he’s a quirky freak of nature. His wingspan is 6 feet 7 inches. He has a long torso, big feet, and can hyperextend his elbows and ankles. Not long ago, Phelps was a blur of wasted energy, diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He found a salve in the water, emerging as a national age-group champion.
Many spectators forget that Phelps is a 19-year-old kid who recently finished high school (Speedo has agreed to pay for his college tuition if he chooses to enroll).
Like many high-schoolers, Phelps can recite most of the lines from the movie “Tommy Boy,” and he listens to Eminem and Twista. He was frazzled when he met Cindy Crawford.
And now Phelps comes to Athens, where the world is watching.
“Mike will tell you that it’s a big puzzle for him and all the pieces have to fall in perfectly for him to win,” said Rowdy Gaines, a former Olympian who is now an analyst with NBC.
As the hype escalates, Phelps brings the noise down once again: Swim fast.
“Walking into the Olympic venue last night, I sensed sort of a vibe in my system,” Phelps said before his races began. “Even driving up, I got more and more excited. I would be satisfied with one gold medal. How many people in the world have one gold medal?”
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The Phelps challenge
Michael Phelps could tie Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of 7 gold medals in 7 events (not to mention that Spitz also set records in all of his events). Here are his remaining events and times:
DAY EVENT TIME TV/TIME TOP CHALLENGER
Mon. 200 freestyle 11:16 a.m. NBC 7-11 p.m. Ian Thorpe, Australia (WR-holder)
Tue. 200 butterfly 11:20 a.m. NBC 7-11 p.m. Pawel Korzeniowski, Poland
Tue. 800 freestyle relay 12:14 p.m. NBC 7-11 p.m. Australia
Thu. 200 ind. medley 11:54 a.m. NBC 7-11 p.m. Ryan Lochte, U.S.
Fri. 100 butterfly 11:09 a.m NBC 7-11 p.m. Ian Crocker, U.S. (WR-holder)
Sat. 400 medley relay 11 a.m. NBC 7-11 p.m. Australia
