Michael Phelps is the greatest athlete of all time, he just tied a 2,000-year-old Olympic record
Michael Phelps celebrating after winning his first medal in the Rio Olympics. Photo: Reuters
Bolt. Cristiano. LeBron. Phelps.
That's the list. These are our most dominant athletes of the last 20 years.
Usain Bolt is the fastest man ever timed, an 11-time world Champion, six-time Olympics champion, the fastest human being in history.
Cristiano Ronaldo's physical prime has been never-ending. He's essentially been the same level of athlete for seven years - a phenomenon his stellar statistics bear out.
LeBron James is the strongest of the bunch - probably the most physically complete, with the ability to generate ungodly amounts of force when his speed (in the formidable top five) in the world's fastest sports league propels his 6ft 8inch, 270-pound frame.
Michael Phelps stands out even in the hyper elite crowd: first, in the face of the absolute absurdity of his prime (Eight golds in eight events at Beijing 2008) and second, because of the heavenliness of his post prime (London 2012 and Rio).
And all this has been possible because he is perhaps the closest a human has ever come to physically being a fish.
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| Michael Phelps as Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. |
"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. He's the greatest racer who ever walked the planet," said Mark Spitz, who held the record for most medals at a single Olympics event for 36 years, till it was smashed by Phelps in 2008.
What we are witnessing in the Rio Olympics is a 31-year-old Phelps, assured of his legacy as arguably the greatest Olympian of all time, who is going for the status of greatest of all time. Period. In any sport. In any era. In any world.
Here are some fascinating facts about Michael Phelps that you might've missed:
Tied a 2,168-year-old Olympic record
With his 12th individual medal, Phelps, incredibly, is now tied with Leonidas of Rhodes for the highest number of individual medals in Olympics history. Leonidas' record has been standing since 152 BC!
Phelps has two events left, one being his preferred 100-metre butterfly, and he could pass Leonidas' feat if he wins another gold.
Seven world records
A week into the Beijing Olympics, the headlines read something to the effect of, "China vs Phelps," as he was single-handledly keeping the American gold medal tally close to that of the Chinese.
Perhaps, the incredulity of his achievement of eight in eight at Beijing made people miss the message, but he posted seven world record times en route his eight medals at the tournament.
More than 174 countries
Phelps' medal haul is bigger than 174 countries! Heck! He already has 24 medals with two events left and might just surpass India's total medal tally at the Olympics too!
His body
Phelps has an incredible wingspan, which extends three inches more than his massive 6ft 4inch frame. Add to this the double-jointed ankles that allow him to bend 15 degrees more than anyone else, turning his feet into virtual flippers, which reduce the splash he creates while swimming, giving him a natural edge over opponents.
Natural recovery
When humans exert themselves, our body releases Lactic acid, which causes fatigue. A lay person would have to give themselves recovery time so that their body loses the lactic acid, allowing them to try again.
Phelps is different.
It has been proven that he produces less than half the Lactic acid as his rivals, doubling his recovery time. This is the key which allows him to participate in so many events.
Phelps, the flying fish had a difficult time after the 2012 Olympics in London. He lost his favourite 200m butterfly, he was slower than before and wanted to quit. His body - his crafted-to-perfection frame - couldn't do it anymore, they said.
What did he do?
He jumped in the water, ready to fly, and at the age of 31, became the oldest swimmer ever to win a gold at the Olympics, breaking a 96-year-old record in the process.
Greatest. Of. All. Time