Six years ago today, the Beijing Olympics began and the swimming community rose to their feet to watch Michael Phelps attempt to enter uncharted waters and better the seven gold medals that Mark Spitz won at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Today swim fans are perhaps just as excited to see the Baltimore native get into the water, as a lot has changed since 2008.
The 2008 Olympics were incredible. Eight for eight, seven world records as well as an Olympic record in the 100 fly, three relay wins for the United States; arguably the most impressive performance by an athlete in Olympic history. After a performance like that, what’s next?
Time off was the answer Phelps gave his fans as he took a few months off after Beijing to recuperate from becoming the only athlete to ever win eight medals at a single Olympic games. Phelps was back in the water around December of 2008, training for the 2009 World Championships. He kicked off the 2009 summer season with a new world record in the 100m fly at trials sporting a time of 50.22, and punched in his ticket to Rome.
Rome came and went, and with it, Phelps became the first swimmer to dip under the 50 second barrier in the 100 fly clocking in a 49.82 for a huge drop and world record. Phelps had a successful medal haul, but 2009 gave birth to a new Ryan Lochte who rivaled Phelps for the greatest swimmer in the world.
At the 2010 Pan Pacs, it was Lochte all the way. Phelps was good, but it was clear that he wasn’t in the kind of shape he was in in Beijing or Rome. Then came the 2011 World Championships and for anyone who was watching there was no doubt that Phelps lacked the motivation to continue his training considering he lost two head-to-head battles against Ryan Lochte.
There were numerous reports of a unmotivated Phelps headed into the 2012 Olympics which he stated would be his last meet ever, and as they came, it was clear that this was a very different Phelps from 2008. Yes he earned himself multiple medals, but two key factors that showed where Phelps stood in the sport of swimming were the 200m butterfly silver medal and has lack of presence on the podium in the 400m IM.
Phelps retired as the most decorated Olympian of all time, and that was that. No more Phelps, the swimming community had to move on.
Fast-forward to 2013 at the World Championships and something ticked in Phelps’ mind. Anyone who was watching the event saw the look of utter disgust on his face when the US lost the 4x100m freestyle relay, and right then and there it seemed as though all we had to do was wait for Phelps to announce his comeback.
The first little hint of the comeback was Phelps saying he was just doing some training sessions with Bob Bowman for fun every once and a while at NBAC, then he added his name to the doping lists and things got serious. Phelps finally entered a meet for the first time at the Mesa Grand Prix and the comeback was set in stone.
Now we’re at the 2014 US Nationals and Phelps has already swam one event, the 100m freestyle, where he failed to secure a spot on the Pan Pac roster. After day two prelims, Phelps is currently in position to make the 2014 Pan Pac roster after posting a world leading 51.17 in the 100m fly to qualify first for the final.
Going into the final tonight is a very different Phelps than we saw six years ago. This is a no-pressure Phelps. He’s done it all, he has nothing left to prove, and now he’s just doing it for the pure enjoyment and bliss of competing. Yes, Phelps hates to lose and loves to win considering that he is arguably the greatest of all time, but there’s a certain peace about him which makes this writer believe that he might be even more powerful now than he was before Beijing.
This is a new Phelps, a Phelps that’s been around the block more than anyone else; a swimmer who could very well be back on the world stage if he’s able to grab a spot on the team in the 100m fly final which it’s looking as though is all but certain.
Phelps was out in 24.58 this morning and back quickly in 26.59 taking down Ryan Lochte by a large margin who swam in the lane beside him. That time would have won him the 2012 Olympic final considering he was only a 51.21 in the finals in London.
With the new Phelps emerging from the ashes of the old, all the world can do is sit back and watch as a new chapter in his career begins to unfold.
Thank you for this article, Mitch, but I disagree with you on 1 point. I think the reason Phelps came in second last night is he IS feeling pressure! He doesn’t have his confidence back to 100%, because he knows he hasn’t prepared the way Sheilds has, the way he should have, the way he used to in the past. I think this is causing him to tighten up and make mistakes in these big races.
This meet (the 100 free) is the first time he has failed to qualify for an international team in any event since the 2000 Olympic Trials! It’s weird, but at the end of his career Phelps is starting to experience the things everybody else… Read more »
The .01 difference in Phelps favor in ’08 had the opposite result in ’14 as he lost by .01!
“Yes he earned himself multiple medals, but two key factors that showed where Phelps stood in the sport of swimming were the 200m butterfly silver medal and his lack of presence on the podium in the 400m IM.” Where he stood was with the most individual gold medals of any US swimmer at the 2012 Olympics. Don’t get me wrong: it was no Beijing. And Locthe was arguably a better swimmer at the time — but he didn’t turn out to be the better competitor in that arena at that moment.
I say this because to downplay the achievement of getting 2 golds and 1 silver out of 4 individual swims, and 2 gold and 1 silver out of… Read more »
No doubt it was a stellar performance, but when comparing a 2012 Phelps to a 2008 Phelps there was a difference.
Of course there was a difference – a significant one. I don’t think anyone would assert that the two performances were the same.
My point is that the difference between great and absolutely perfect doesn’t make the great suddenly become mediocre. He did in London what he had trained to do (or maybe better). He did in Beijing what he had trained to do. And in both those instances, he walked away with more gold than any other competitor.
Great commentary!
I AM HOPING that you are right. A new and (maybe) better Phelps in the 100 fly. That would be an answered prayer.