Well, four, because there was a rather fun-sounding team event that was discontinued after the 1956 Olympics*. But the point stands.Originally Posted by seniorita
* I found Hungary's OGM-winning exercise from 1956; it looks like a precursor to rhythmic gymnastics!
Spitz won with a mustache. Can't imagine any swimmer going out there with facial hair these days!
Thanx for vid, that was amazing.
It's great, except it wasn't what I meant to link! This is the 1956 clip.
Interesting how the Olympics, and Olympic events, change over time...
I liked the Lithuanian swimmer too. As someone pointed out, it's harder to stand out when you're not from a swimming powerhouse country, because team relay medals are often not possibility. For that reason I admire Kirsty Coventry (and I love her name--what lovely rhythm!) and other swimmers like Hungary's Krisztina Egerszegy, who I believe won the gold in the same event in three consecutive Olympics (one of only a few swimmers who have done so), plus two other golds.
I think it's hard to count medals without context. Certainly by the time you get into Phelps/Latynina territory, the statistics are so remarkable that it's almost pointless to try to rank these people. And there are other notable Olympic achievements that seem just as impressive, even though they don't equal Phelps or Latynina in sheer quantity. For instance, span can make for a distinctive record. Al Oerter famously won four discus golds, at four consecutive Olympics. This means that he had to stay in top shape in his event over twelve years from 1956 to 1968. Granted, a single discus throw doesn't expend the same energy as all-around swimming, day after day for a week, in heats and finals for almost every event. But it's pretty magnificent. Then there's Sir Steven Redgrave, with five gold medals in five consecutive Olympics for the grueling sport of rowing.
It's such fun trotting out all the records and examining them, and thinking of the people who set these records and earned the medals. Olympic trivia has to be the best category of sports trivia in the world.
Last edited by Olympia; 08-01-2012 at 09:39 PM.
I have to hand it to Lochte. He nearly caught Phelps in the IM even after swiming in another final about 20 minutes earlier. He must have been exhausted by the end of the pair of races. I also have to hand it to Phelps, who managed to pull it out for this race. Two fine athletes who are incredibly impressive to watch.
And Soni, who hasn't been talked about as much with Missy Franklin getting so much notice (deservedly), seems to dart through the water. She set a world record. Good for her!
Who said Phelps time has passed?! Here he comes! Another individual Olympics gold medal!!! Wow, Wow, WOW!!!!!! I'm so happy for him! And he's not done yet! And Lochte, Franklin, Soni, ... US is so strong in swimming!!!
Yeah, amazing. I think Phelps proved this week that while other swimmers can be very good, or even great for a race or two. he is amazing across the board. The way he sped up and moved from seventh place to first in this butterfly was truly mind-boggling. I love that Lochte was in the audience for this race (not to mention Prince William and his missus) and he applauded for Phelps and sang the National Anthem hand over heart, just like Phelps up on the stand.
And now there's that little 15-year-old distance swimmer who just broke Janet Evans' record in the 800 meter race. Man, what an Olympics.
One thing I liked (in the color section) their ribbons are little Hungarian flags! (red, white, green from top to bottom).
Eljen Magyarorszag! long live Hungary! (one of my favorite places to visit, and I'd like to live there someday too)
Back to swimming.....in his last race Phelps won his 18th Gold medal.
Mind boggling.......
Yes, it is mind boggling, Janetfan. The guy is just that much better than everyone else. Some guys speed past him in one event or another, but his abilities are so wide-ranging that he seems to be from some exalted species that the rest of us are not members of. Everyone agrees that he trained less intensely for this Olympics than the previous one, but even so he had the strength, the focus, and the smarts to speed along and mow down the opposition. And he got better as the week went on.
I was excited for Ryan Lochte in the events, but it seems to me that although he is an excellent swimmer, Phelps is just something else entirely.
I woke up at 4am againto watch Women's and Men's medley relay; the final events of swimming.
Many many many congratulations to USA, Australia and Japan (these three countries shared the podium both women's and men's.)!!!
Especially for Phelps, Hansen and Kitajima, what a nicest way to end their career by winning the last medal of the Olympics with their own team mates, with whom they represented their country together, competed against, encouraged and inspired each other for such a long time.
I am a little sad the swimming events are over. Now on to Track & Field!
While everyone's eyes are on Bolt and Blake, I am rooting for Asafa Powell of Jamaica in particular!
GOoooo boys, BRING IT ON!
Last edited by deedee1; 08-05-2012 at 01:26 AM.
I too am sad for the end of swimming, but in a few hours we'll be just as absorbed in track and field, with equal eagerness. I've started a track and field thread. Already it's very exciting: Britain has won three track and field golds.
Congratulations to USA, Australia, and Japan for the relay wins. Those were amazing races, weren't they? I was especially impressed by the women's. I think the American team was made up of the gold medalist in either three or all four of the stroke types.
Now they're showing another Equestrian competition here, which seems to be a separate course of jumping not related to the three-day eventing. A Japanese rider is on the course, Taizo Sugitani. He's having a good run--just one rail down. A Colombian had a good round as well. There is no way to get bored with the Olympics!
See full article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olymp...lps/56793946/1
The gist:
"NBC plans to devote the first hour of its Sunday prime-time Olympic coverage, or at least most of it, to a single athlete: Michael Phelps.
The idea came after Phelps was in NBC's studio Saturday to talk to Bob Costas."
Per Jim Bell of NBC: " 'Phelps was relaxed and reflective. And we wondered how we could get this all in. ... The interview felt like it was crying out for expanded treatment.' "
"So NBC will replace previously scheduled action — which would have been some track and field and diving, Bell says — for one last chance for NBC to get some ratings mileage out of Phelps."
NBCSportsPR @NBCSportsPR tweeted a link to the USA Today article, so presumably it is fully accurate.
ETA:
Official press release from NBC re Phelps interview: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/20...5-at-7-p-m-et/
Excerpt:
"Phelps and Costas discuss the tapestry of Phelps’ career, including; the first time on an international stage in Sydney; the trials and tribulations with coach and mentor Bob Bowman; his world famous 200-meter Butterfly race in Beijing, where his goggles filled with water during the race; the training regimen that helped him win so many medals; how his rivalries fueled his passion and desire to win; the influence of watching Michael Jordan’s dominance and how it shaped his career as one of America’s greatest athletes ever; and Phelps’ future outside of the pool."
---
ETA: This tweet from Friday from Dan Hicks @DanHicksNBC made me laugh.
Every single day we start our @NBCSports production mtg by playing U.S. swimmers video "Call Me Maybe" full blast! Gets us going!
12:13 AM - 3 Aug 12
Last edited by golden411; 08-05-2012 at 12:34 PM.
I have to say, when it comes to how they do in interviews, Phelps beats Lochte every time. Lochte sounds like a friendly surfer dude, and Phelps sounds like an articulate, poised thinker. I hear something interesting every time I watch an interview with Michael.
Watching open water swimming on NBC right now.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks