[Please post on the sticky folks rather than create multitudes of threads, thanks (Spoiler Warning: http://prince.org/msg/100/278629 - luv4u]




BEIJING – Minutes before his debut as perhaps the most dynamic presence in these Olympic Games, Michael Phelps sat in a warm-up room with a tingle running through his body. Despite beginning the day with a 6:30-a.m. wakeup swim to clear the cobwebs of sleep, it wasn’t until just before Sunday morning’s 400-meter individual medley that he got the sign he was hoping for.

Chills. Excitement.

“Right then and there,” Phelps said.

In 10 days, we might look at that as the appropriate phrase of the moment. As in, it was over right then and there. Because now that opponents have seen what a fully throttled and tapered Phelps looks like in China, the Dalai Lama might have a better shot at standing above him on a medal podium.

What happened Sunday morning is what Phelps’ chief rivals feared the most. With seven events left on his plate, it wasn’t that he was just fast in the 400 IM. And it wasn’t that he was just great. The world has seen fast and great from this man before. Fast and great translated into six gold medals in Athens. This was something new.

In obliterating his already absurd world record by 1.41 seconds – lowering the mark to 4:03.84 – Phelps was perfect. He was Tiger Woods at Augusta, Michael Jordan in Madison Square Garden. For an eyelash over four minutes, he owned Beijing’s Water Cube. And if it’s a sign of anything, he’ll own it all week long and leave Beijing with Fort Knox hanging from his neck.

Eight gold medals … multiple world records … a $1 million bonus from Speedo. It all seems within reach.

“Anytime you think you can get close to Michael Phelps, he jumps another level,” said Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh.

Cseh should know. He swam the best 400 IM of his life and still finished 2.32 seconds back (4:06.16). Even American Ryan Lochte, thought to be a potential Phelps-slayer in this event, finished 4.25 seconds off the pace (4:08.09). While those two performances were good enough for silver and bronze, they also illustrated that a fully rested Phelps frustrates all comers.

“You keep trying and sometimes you can catch him,” Cseh said. “Sometimes.”

But that faint hope might be swirling the drain after watching the breaststroke leg of the Phelps medley. Traditionally the bane of his existence in the medley, he notched a very strong 1:10.56. That included a zooming 34.77 seconds in the first 50 meters, in which he put himself in prime position to separate from the field.

“The best he’s ever swum breaststroke,” said Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, who has been pushing Phelps to fine tune the stroke for 12 years. “That was the difference in the race. Which, it’s kind of gratifying to see that happen after many years of trying to make it happen. He paced it really well. He didn’t use too much energy on the (butterfly), he did the (backstroke) at the right effort level, and then when he knew he was going to have to really put it into the breaststroke, he did.”

Even the notoriously difficult to please Bowman had to admit that Phelps might have finally put it all together.

“It hit me today that that was his best race,” Bowman said.

And perhaps it hit Phelps, too. After touching the wall at the end of the race, he glided backward and burst into a smile when seeing his new world record. Then he stood up, raised two fists, and eventually even managed a smile and nod for President George W. Bush, who nodded back and waved an American flag as Phelps rejoiced.

But it wasn’t until minutes later that the world was able to get a peek into just how important the moment was for Phelps. After going through a maelstrom of emotions over the last year – breaking his wrist this past winter, feeling a lull in his motivation and beginning to think about life after swimming – you get the sense of a man who is seeing a lifetime of sacrifice come together in a nine-day run toward history.

Maybe that’s what Phelps was feeling when he stood at the top of the medal podium with tearful eyes and a quivering lip. Normally stoic and composed, he tried to get out a few words as the national anthem began, then stopped as he choked up.

“I said to Bob, ‘I wanted to sing on the medal podium but I just couldn’t stop crying,’” Phelps said. “Everything that happened this year – the ups and downs we’ve had this year and Ryan is coming on like a freight train – I was just happy to get the first one under my belt. Thinking about all that just made me start getting more and more emotional.”

“He was shaking and tearing up at the same time,” Lochte said. “I was like, ‘Well, you just got a gold medal at the Olympics. I would be, too.’”

Interestingly, as Phelps came down the final 50 meters of the 400, he actually began to feel a distinct and familiar surge of pride and accomplishment. Peeking to his left and right, he could see he was in the clear, and the moment of dominance turned the clock back four years.


“Coming into the last 25 to 50 meters of the race in Athens, I saw myself out there (alone) and I just sort of smiled,” Phelps said. “I kind of had that same feeling this morning.”

It was a special moment for the best swimmer the world has ever seen, and a frightening forecast for those who would challenge him.
[Edited 8/10/08 15:52pm]
[Edited 8/10/08 20:34pm]

I was quite amazing to watch
What an incredible athlete

Sure was. It'll be amazing if he can get eight golds, but this race shows his ability to take it up a notch when needed. I think this was the toughest race outta all of 'em so we'll see.

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

Mach said:

Hes going to take it all and reach his goal.

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

I wish that for him

Here's some info on Cullen Jones a brotha on the swim team. He looks a lil' How you, doin? but I'm proud nonetheless.



Born: February 29, 1984
Bronx, NY
Hometown: New Brunswick, NJ
Residence: Raleigh, NC
Ht: / Wt: 6'5" / 195 lbs
Event(s): 4x100m free relay

Hometown Hopeful
Cullen Jones is one of Bank of America's Hometown Hopefuls®. To submit a cheer for Jones, click here!

Taking back the title
Jones qualified for his first Olympics by finishing third in the 100m freestyle at Olympic Trials, earning a berth as a key member of the 4x100m free relay. The relay will be one of the most competitive races in Beijing, with the world-record-holding U.S. team not necessarily favored to win. The U.S. team is looking to take back the gold after consecutive losses (to Australia in 2000 and South Africa in 2004) that ended an undefeated streak for the U.S. at the Olympics in that race. Jones also swam the 50m free at Trials, finishing third. Jones had set the American record in prelims, but the record was broken in the final by Garrett Weber-Gale.

Top of the world
After a successful career at North Carolina State, Jones emerged as one of the world's best sprinters. Jones finished second in the 50m freestyle at the 2007 World Championships and won gold as part of the 4x100m free relay. With his sights set on Beijing, Jones could become the second African-American Olympic gold medalist; Anthony Ervin won the 50m free (in a tie with Gary Hall Jr.) in 2000.

Jones became the first African-American swimmer to hold a long course world record when the U.S. team won the 4x100m free relay at the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, Canada. Swimming alongside Michael Phelps, Neil Walker and Jason Lezak, Jones helped break the record set by South Africa in Athens. Jones says he will never forget how he felt when the announcer said, "The U.S. is now under world record pace." But he doesn't have pictures to remind him -- he was so exhausted after his leg that he fell over. So while Phelps and Walker were cheering Lezak home, Jones was on the ground "seeing colors."

Near-drowning
When Jones was five years old, his parents took him to a water park. Before he went down a big slide on an inner tube, his dad made him promise not to let go of the tube, no matter what. When he got to the bottom, the tube flipped over, leaving him trapped underwater but clinging to the tube. Jones actually lost consciousness before his father spotted him and pulled him out of the water. Lifeguards performed CPR, and Jones coughed up a pint of water before taking his first breath. But Jones had no idea at the time that his life had been in danger -- he immediately asked his parents what the next ride was.

Basketball roots
Jones' father, Ron, was an avid basketball player and talented center, and he tried hard to persuade Cullen to take up the sport. He finally agreed but said he wouldn't be a center and tried point guard instead. But after a few years, he decided he didn't want to play basketball and focused on swimming. Even though Jones said it broke his father's heart, he was always supportive and came to all him meets. And he never gave up the desire to see his son play basketball.

Remembering Ron
Ron Jones was diagnosed with lung cancer when Cullen was 16. Ron assured his family that he would be all right, but Cullen noticed a change in him the day they found out. Ron took Cullen to every practice -- took him practically everywhere he needed to go -- and tried to make sure that Cullen and his mother would be OK when he was gone. Ron died only a few months later, in 2000, and Cullen now signs his autograph with the number 41, his father's jersey number. He also has a tattoo on his back with the sun, representing his father's strength, with "Jones 41" inside like a jersey, over a cross, representing his faith.

Cullen Jones finished second in the 50m freestyle at the 2007 Worlds. He also won gold in the 4x100m free relay. Role model
It wasn't until Jones signed a contract with Nike in 2006 that he began to accept the responsibility of being a role model for the black community. Jones says until that point, he hadn't paid attention to it and had focused on himself and his goals. But now, he says, he feels comfortable speaking out, encouraging more African-Americans to learn to swim, not necessarily to become Olympic athletes but to be safe. The fact that African-Americans are three times more likely to drown than any other race is a statistic that Jones wants to change.

Passing the torch
Working toward that goal, Jones holds clinics to teach children how to swim, which combines the two things he loves: swimming and teaching. Jones uses a unique teaching tool, when he talks about how he almost drowned as a kid. Most of the children, who call Jones "Aquaman," can't believe it, but Jones thinks it's an effective way to show that it can happen to anyone.

Eclectic mix
Jones' musical taste is varied, combining hip-hop with rock. Jones calls New Jersey a "melting pot" where he was exposed to both Jay-Z and Linkin Park. When the two made an album together, Jones said, "It defined me so much to see the hip-hop standpoint merge with the rock standpoint." Also listed among Jones' favorites are T.I. and Metallica.
[Edited 8/10/08 17:52pm]

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[Edited 8/10/08 20:56pm]

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[Edited 8/10/08 20:56pm]

Let's hear it for an older woman STILL doin' tha damn thang!

Torres wins 10th career Olympic medal in relay

BEIJING (AP) - Winning Olympic medals never gets old for Dara Torres.

The self-described "old lady" of the U.S. team anchored the American women to a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay Sunday at age 41, earning her 10th career Olympic medal and first since 2000.

"I think Michael Phelps is going to way surpass me," she said, smiling.

The Netherlands won the gold in 3 minutes, 33.76 seconds, while the American quartet of Natalie Coughlin, Lacey Nymeyer, Kara Lynn Joyce and Torres touched in 3:34.33 - an American record.

Torres' 100 split of 52.44 seconds was second-fastest in the morning final, trailing only 25-year-old Aussie Libby Trickett's time of 52.34.

"I'm still not used to swimming fast in the morning. I'm used to swimming at night," Torres said. "We started to walk towards the ready room and I was like, 'It feels like 6 o'clock at night.' One of my teammates said, 'Well, it's 11 o'clock somewhere else.'"

Time briefly stood still at the Water Cube when Torres dived into the pool with the United States in second behind the Netherlands.

Back in 1984, Torres earned her first Olympic medal - a gold - in the 400 free relay at Los Angeles. She's been somewhat of a regular in the event, earning a bronze in 1988, gold in Barcelona and gold with an American record time in 2000, also the last time the Americans won the event.

In Beijing, she couldn't catch Dutch anchor Marleen Veldhuis, but Torres will get another chance later on in the 50 free.

"It felt great," she said. "I felt like I have more energy, so I'm very psyched for my 50."

Last November, Torres was already on the comeback trail, competing in a short-course meet in Berlin. She lost to Veldhuis in the 50 free.

"I remember the first race I swam against her, I had to swim a world record to beat her," Veldhuis, "so she brings the best out in me."

In the ready room before the race, Torres introduced herself to the Australians, never having met Trickett or 16-year-old Cate Campbell, the youngest member of the Aussie swim team.

"She just looks so young and innocent," Torres said. "I know the water doesn't really know what age you are, but it is kind of cute to see the innocence there."

The Aussies took the bronze.

A lot has changed for Torres since her first games. She retired after Sydney and two years ago gave birth to her first child. She has been emotionally drained by the illness of her coach Michael Lohberg, who is battling a rare blood disease in the United States that kept him from traveling to Beijing.

Since winning the 50 and 100 freestyles at the U.S. trials, Torres has been heralded as a hero for weekend warriors everywhere.

"There are a lot of middle-aged men and women who I know that tell me that I'm an inspiration to them and they're now doing things they thought they couldn't do," she said. "I'm hoping that my age paves the way for other athletes who maybe think they're too old to do something."

In a rare concession to her age, Torres had to rush off to get her body stretched and mashed, a process in which therapists use their feet to massage her back and legs.

But first she turned the silver medal over in her hands.

"It's a great feeling," she said. "I was looking at the medal and how beautiful it is. I'm like, 'Oh wow, it's true. I do have 10 medals.'"

SCNDLS said:

Leave it to you to cheapen my thread with gratuitous, salacious almost nekkid pics. . . .



Ummmmm. . . you got anymore????

After talkin' ALL that shit, Team USA sho nuf spanked them Frenchies' asses! How you doin' Cullen???? My throat actually hurts from screaming at the TV. I love how the announcers are all, there's no way the US can win.
[Edited 8/10/08 20:38pm]

God, I love Michael Phelps

I still have chillbumps. That was one of the greatest Olympic races of any kind that I can remember!!

OMG! It is earthshattering! I heard my neighbor scream the same time I did!

dreamfactory313 said:

I was screaming like a gatdamn fool. My dog came outta his bed to look at me like Can you keep that shit down??? I love Cullen's Johnson's commercial.
[Edited 8/10/08 20:40pm]

That was an amazing relay! Yes!!!!!


Those pouty french aren't saying crap now!

SCNDLS said:

poor dog.

dreamfactory313 said:

I think he's traumatized. He's walking around the room giving me sideways glances like, Is this bitch gon' start screamin' for no good reason again???

ok, I admit--I haven't watched a damned thing of the Olympics this year. Not a damned thing.


But I still love and support Michael Phelps!

Imago said:

You betta get with it!

Lezak tracks down French in relay

BEIJING (AP)—By a fingertip, Michael Phelps is still on course for eight gold medals. He can thank Jason Lezak for getting him No. 2.

The oldest man on the U.S. swimming team pulled off one of the great comebacks in Olympic history Monday morning, lunging to the wall just ahead of France’s Alain Bernard in a race so fast it actually erased two world records.

Wow!

Few sporting events live up the hype—this one exceeded it. The 32-year-old Lezak was nearly a body length behind the massive Bernard as they made the final turn, but the American hugged the lane rope, drafting off the Frenchman and stunningly overtaking him on the very last stroke.

Watching on deck, Phelps let out a resounding “Yeaaaaah!” and thrust both arms toward the roof of the Water Cube. His quest to break Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals had survived what will likely be its toughest test.

The Americans shattered the world record set by their “B” team the previous evening in the preliminaries, touching with a time of 3 minute, 8.24 seconds— nearly 4 full seconds below the 15-hour-old mark of 3:12.23.

“Unbelievable,” said Phelps, who swam the leadoff leg and then became the team’s biggest cheerleader. “Jason finished that race better than we could even ask for. I was fired up. Going into that last 50, I was like, ‘Aw, this is going to be a close race.’ Jason’s last 10 or 15 meters were incredible.”

The Americans won the 400 free relay at seven straight Olympics, but watched the Australians and South Africans take gold at the last two games.

“You could tell I was pretty excited,” Phelps said. “I lost my voice and I was definitely pretty emotional out there.”

Bernard was the world record holder in the 100, but he surrendered that mark as well. Australia’s Eamon Sullivan broke the individual record by swimming the leadoff leg in 47.24—ahead of Bernard’s mark of 47.50.

Lezak swam his 100 in a staggering 46.06, the fastest relay leg in history though it doesn’t count as an official record.

“Experience was better than talent,” France’s Frederick Bousquet said.

Garrett Weber-Gale and Cullen Jones also did their parts swimming the middle legs of the relay, overcoming the enormous pressure of making sure they didn’t mess up Phelps’ attempt to take down the Holy Grail of Olympic records.

While the Americans whooped it up on deck, Bernard clung to the wall, his head down. The swimmer who had talked confidently of beating the Americans— “smashing” them, some media reported—was the last one to leave the pool.

The French were second in 3:08.32—eight one-hundredths of a second behind. Australia took the bronze in 3:09.91. In fact, the top five all went below the record set Sunday.

Clearly, the swimming record book will need some heavy revisions by the time the Beijing Olympics are over.

Two more world marks fell Monday morning when Kosuke Kitajima of Japan finished off American Brendan Hansen’s hopes of an individual medal, winning the 100 breaststroke in 58.91. Kitajima pounded the water defiantly and let out a scream after breaking Hansen’s 2-year-old record of 59.13.

Hansen was left without a medal, fading to fourth behind silver medalist Alexander Dale Oen of Norway and Hugues Duboscq of France, who took bronze.

Kirsty Coventry didn’t even bother waiting until a final to set a record in the 100 backstroke. The Zimbabwean won her semifinal heat in 58.77, taking down Natalie Coughlin’s mark of 58.97 set at the U.S. trials last month.

They’ll go head to head in Tuesday morning’s final. Coughlin won her heat in 59.43 with a nice, comfortable swim.

Seven world records have been set through the first 21/2 days at the Water Cube.

Phelps had another race to care of, moving on to the final of the 200 free with the fourth-fastest time of the semis. Trying to save as much energy as possible for the leadoff leg of the relay, the American touched in 1:46.28 to finish behind teammate Peter Vanderkaay (1:45.76) and South Korea’s Park Tae-hwan (1:45.99).

Jean Basson of South Africa also went faster in the other heat, winning in 1:46.13.

While Hansen still has a swim left in the medley relay, he’ll go down as one of the major disappointments of the American team. A one-time world record holder in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, he didn’t even qualify for the Olympics in the longer race.

Putting all his hopes of beating Kitajima in the 100, he wasn’t close to the Japanese star, finishing 0.66 seconds behind.

“I’ve just had a really off year, on a really important year,” Hansen said. “I just feel like that’s not the last you’re going to see of me. I’m going to bring it back and I won’t be done until I at least have a legitimate shot at those world records again.”

Hansen swam over to Kitajima’s lane to congratulate the winner.

“You’ve got to tip your hat to somebody that does something like that in a pressure-packed race like that. That’s a hell of a swim, and he is a true champion,” he said.

Coventry put down quite a challenge to Coughlin. Then again, Coughlin has been known to rise to the challenge—when Hayley McGregory broke her world record in the prelims at the U.S. trials, Coughlin came back in the very next heat to take it back.

Now, Coventry has it, and Coughlin can’t be too happy about that.

“I’m very excited. It was a great swim,” Coventry said. “I just got to go home and take care of myself. It’s going to be a tight final. … Natalie’s just so good at racing and planning out her races, so I just expect nothing but fast, fast swimming tomorrow morning.”

Coughlin will be side-by-side with Coventry in the final.

“It went very well,” she said. “It’s exactly where I wanted to be going into the finals. I’m happy with that. I just need to recover and focus on my final.”

Libby Trickett of Australia just missed another world record in the women’s 100 butterfly, winning gold with a time of 56.73. American Christine Magnuson claimed the silver (57.10) and another Aussie, Jess Schipper, took the bronze (57.25).
[Edited 8/10/08 21:57pm]

SCNDLS said:

Is that Ryan Lochte on the left?




For real though, I love watching the Olympics. I'm going crazy up in here. WOOOOO HOOO!! AMAZING!

Imago said:

What r u waiting on?

dreamfactory313 said:

The liberation of Tibet actually.

JessieJ said:

I don't know WHO that is but I DO know he's finer than a mug.