Michael Phelps and Olympic immortality

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: Gold medallist Michael Phelps of the United States throws his ceremonial flowers to his mother Debbie Phelps following a medal ceremony.

Michael Phelps’ superhuman exploits in the Olympic circuit need no introduction. The fact that he has accomplished his boyhood whims with such ease speaks of his unparalleled determination and self-belief. At 15, Phelps wanted to be the greatest Olympian; his dream, however, was misconstrued as a crude, far-fetched aberration – as an adolescent boy’s insatiable desire. And all his buff waned at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics when he failed to finish on the podium despite having made it to the finals of the 200m butterfly event. His only consolation might have been the fact that he was the youngest swimmer to make it to a US men’s Olympic swim team in 68 years.

However, the following year, Phelps did translate his ambition into noteworthy feats. He went on to break the world record in the 200m butterfly event then held by his idol, Ian Thorpe. He had become the youngest man ever to set a swimming world record. What followed was the steady rise of an ace. An ace that carried on piling medals at will, humbling opponents and setting fire to the water.

And at Athens in 2004, Phelps rose like the Colossus to hoard 8 medals – 6 gold! He reiterated his desire to make history. This time, it was more than just swagger. He had already toppled records at international events en route to the Olympics. Phelps was, however, seemingly oblivious about Mark Spitz’s illustrious career and his haul of 7 gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics. For a man that dreamed of scaling greatness, he exhibited a saucy lack of information. To him, standing records seemed highly irrelevant. He simply wanted to be the greatest Olympian there ever was. It was as if he went about his business with complete disregard to existing standards.

And just when he was slipping into a marauding streak in the build-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics, Ian Thorpe dismissed any possibility of Phelps bagging eight gold medals. If truth be told, it did seem like an unearthly task, for he had to strike gold in every event. Phelps, however, had extended his monarchy – he had amassed a stupefying haul of 7 gold medals in the 2007 World Championship. It was a clean sweep – seven on seven! Still, prevailing at the Olympics would be a different proposition.

Phelps was spurred. At Beijing in 2008, he went berserk. He had taken down Mark Spitz’s remarkable tally of seven gold medals to tighten his ascent to the pinnacle of Olympic glory.

And here in London, Phelps has accumulated 6 medals – 4 gold and 2 silver. And on that note, he has called it quits. There couldn’t have been any greater recognition to his exploits than FINA’s (swimming’s world governing body) deluxe gesture. Phelps was awarded a trophy that read, “To Michael Phelps, The Greatest Olympian of All Time, from FINA”.

However, there will be a fraternity that would staunchly disagree with FINA’s lettering to Phelps. Some would say he was copiously out of focus between his herculean Beijing act and the pathological London Games. He definitely wasn’t the Goliath that set the pool ablaze four years ago. He definitely has shrunk in stature, thereby allowing pretenders to take center stage. But that will not belittle Phelps’ achievements. Because he has a staggering 22 Olympic medals of which 18 are gold – twice as many as any other Olympian. But have his performances been lackluster at London? Yes, if one were to take into consideration Phelps’ own standards. He has raised the bar so high that even a tally of six medals does not validate the profound talent vested in Phelps. His haul at London is twice as many as India’s collective haul at Beijing.

FINA’s act may not have dissipated all debates over Phelps’ daunting greatness. But it certainly notches Phelps as the frame of reference against which every other outstanding Olympian will be judged. However, there is no denying that Michael Phelps has consciously maneuvered his path to Olympic immortality.