TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Phelps Wins 6th Gold

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 15, 2008

BEIJING - Look out, Mark Spitz. Get the check ready, Speedo. Michael Phelps is closing in - quickly, of course.

Phelps made it 6-for-6 in winning gold medals, and in setting world records, by taking the 200-meter individual medley today. If he wins either of his last two races, he'll join Spitz as the only Olympians to win seven golds at one Summer Games and cash a $1 million bonus from his sponsor.

Win 'em both and Phelps will stand alone as the greatest Olympic champ for both a single games and for his career. This was his 12th gold, pulling him farther from Spitz and three others with nine. At only 23, he could end up doubling the longstanding career mark at London in 2012. Who would bet against him after this week?

He led this race from the start, more than a half-second under the world record by the first turn. Hungary's Laszo Cseh kept the heat on over the next two half-laps, but there was no stopping Phelps when he took off on the final leg, the freestyle. He was soon up by a body-length and the only question was who would take second. Cseh held off American Ryan Lochte by 0.01, giving Cseh three runner-ups to Phelps at these games.

Lochte might've been gassed because a half-hour earlier he set a world record in winning the 200 backstroke. Teammate Aaron Peirsol was second. Peirsol and Lochte had shared the world record.

Phelps defended his title from four years ago in Athens, winning in 1 minute, 54.23 seconds.
Cseh took the silver in 1:56.52, while Lochte earned the bronze in 1:56.53.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT