BEIJING – If Michael Phelps performs all week like he did last night, just give him the eight golds.
The American swimming star blew past the competition last night in the 400 meter individual medley to capture his first gold medal of these Olympics and move one step closer to breaking Mark Spitz’s mark of seven golds.
The 400 IM was supposed to be one of the toughest for him to win but Phelps made it look as simple as a backyard swim, as he swam a world record 4:03.84, breaking his own mark by 1.41 seconds.
“I’m almost shocked that I went that fast,” Phelps said.
Phelps came into these games with more pressure on him than any other American athlete. He failed in his quest for eight golds in the 2004 Athens Games, finishing with six golds and two bronzes. This time around he appears focused not to be denied.
Phelps comes into these Games four years older and four years stronger. The 23-year-old from Baltimore dominated the Olympic trials last month in Omaha, and seems to be on ever Olympic magazine cover and billboard in the States. His next race comes tonight in the 4×100 relay, which could be tricky because it’s not all in his hands. An hour after last night’s race he’s already turned the page.
“I have to put that race behind me,” Phelps said. “I have to literally act like it never happened.”
Last night, he showed how dominant he can be, pulling away from the pack in the final lap to blow away the field. Second-place Laszlo Cseh of Hungary was nearly three seconds behind him. American Ryan Lochte took the bronze with a time of 4:08.09. He pulled away from the other swimmers on his final lap.
After touching the wall, he put his hands over his head and held up his index finger. Phelps got emotional on the podium and had some tears as the national anthem played.
The crowd at the National Aquatic Center or the “Water Cube” as its known greeted Phelps warmly as he walked to the blocks. President Bush was in the crowd waving an American flag. A heavy secret service contingent scanned the crowd, but even they seemed mesmerized by Phelps while the race occurred.
In other swimming events, Larsen Jensen took the bronze in the 400 freestyle and Katie Hoff was upset in the women’s 400 IM. Hoff came in as the world record holder but only took home the bronze as Australia’s Stephanie Rice cruised to the gold.
The women’s 4×100 freestyle relay team, including 41-year-old Dara Torres, won the silver medal.
Most of the buildup to these Games has focused on whether Phelps could topple the mark Spitz set in Munich in 1972. He has seemed relaxed leading up to the Games and he showed last night he has reason to be.
One down, seven to go.