2008 is coming to an end and we must reflect on the amazing-ness that was the Beijing Olympics.
The Associated Press has named Michael Phelps the male athlete of the year and selected his winningnest (HAHA) eight gold medals at the Beijing Games the top sports
story of the year. How can we disagree with them? Phelps Phever has swept the nation. Yes, Michael’s performance was amazing but we feel the need to discuss some other races that had us on the edge of our seats, screaming at the top of our lungs well into the night scaring the neighbors and waking anyone within a mile radius of our homes.
Jason Lezak’s heroic come back in the 4x100 free won’t be forgotten for a while, he set off trailing French swimmer Alain Bernard (affectionately dubbed horse face) by almost a body length, and by the turn he looked to be pulling away from the US veteran Olympian however, a tactical error on Bernard’s part allowed The King of France to rein him in the last 15M pulling off the greatest relay finish of all time. ALL HAIL KING LEZAK!
Dara Torres the oldest member of the Women’s Swim Team, at the young age of 41 won silver behind German swimmer Britta Steffen with a new American record, losing the gold by only 0.01 of a second. She now has an Olympic career spanning 24 years, and has tied the record for most Olympic medals won by a Female Swimmer with Jenny Thompson. Not to mention her great sportsmanship, when a competitors suit tore right before the race she asked officials to delay the start so that her competitor could get a new one. Talk about honorable, Dara truly embodies the definition of amazing.
Ryan Lochte also created some tidal waves of his own in the Water Cube. He beat out
Mr. Backstroke himself, Aaron Peirsol in the 200M back earning himself his first individual gold medal and in a world record time of 1:53.94, not too shabby if we say so ourselves. Lochte, affectionately dubbed Reezy by many left the 2008 games with 4 medals total. (Other include- 2 bronze in the 200M and 400M IM, 1 gold in the 4X200 M Freestyle Relay). His laid back attitude outside of the pool is a sharp contrast to his fierce competitive drive he shows each and every time he’s on the pool deck. Fierce competitor or laid back lover, the lady killer has our hearts.
Natalie Coughlin was awarded Female Athlete of the Year at the 5th annual USA Swimming Foundation's Golden Goggle Awards. The Beijing Olympics was Coughlin's second trip to the Olympics where she brought home 6 medals (1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze). In winning 6 medals at the most recent Games, she became the first woman to ever win a 100 M Backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics and the first American female swimmer in modern Olympic history to win six medals in a single Olympics. Her performance raised her
total medal count to 11 total (3 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze). Her smile and bubbly personality is one that everyone who has watched any of her races or interviews remembers. She is one of the bright shining stars of the US Swim Team and will continue to be for a long time.
Competing in her first international swim meet at the young age of 15 was Elizabeth Beisel. She qualified for the US Olympic Team in the 400m IM and the 200M backstroke. She posted the best time in the prelims for the 400M IM and finished fourth in the final. In the 200M backstroke, she posted the second fastest time in the semis and finished fifth in the final. Although she didn't win a medal, she swam amazing races and proved that she had every right in competing at the Beijing Olympic Games. Her races will only get better as the years go by and now that she's got the first international event under her belt, the first meet nerves are gone and the gloves are on.
Following the in footsteps as her teammate and hometown friend, Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff appeared in her second Olympics at the age of 19. With more knowledge under belt of international meets, she came to compete. Her schedule had the media dubbing her "the female Michael Phelps" because she would have had 6 medal races in 7 days. Although she didn't have the performance she had hoped, she did come away with 3 medals (1 silver and 2 bronze). She also finished fourth in 2 events and in 200M freestyle, she set an American record. She put out the best she could and didn’t stop fighting until her hand was on the wall. Watch out for her in the upcoming years because we see her becoming an more fierce competitor than we have seen from her first trip to the Olympics in 2004.
The 2008 Olympic medal count for the US Swim Team was three more than that of the 2004 Olympic games. The US Olympic Swim team brought home a respectable 31 medals! They also broke 11 world records which is 3 more than in Athens. Some of those records were broken numerous times during the games including in heats, and prelim swims. The Men's t
eam won 17 medals which is 1 less than in Athens, but 10 of those medals were gold, which is the most since 1976 (Phelps bringing home 8 of his own!). The Women's team brought home 14 which is 4 four more than in Athens, 2 of which were gold. These Olympic Games were definitely the fastest and most amazing Games to watch.
We here at the DCC can’t wait for 2009 (INDY HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!) but are sad to see the 2008 Olympic games officially behind us. We are looking forward to seeing NEW world records being set and times lowered continuing into the new year and even beyond....all the way to Roma and even London 2012. (Yes we are looking that far ahead!) Wishing everyone Happy Holidays and a WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!
(Note: there are tons of swimmers we didn't mention but we still HEART them and want them to know we APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THEM IMMENSELY! MUCH LOVE FOR TEAM USA)
Labels: Dara Torres, Elizabeth Beisel, Jason Lezak, Katie Hoff, Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte
