综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

OLYMPICS / Newsmaker

Phelps prepares for date with destiny

Agencies
Updated: 2008-08-08 13:44

 

BEIJING -- Having completed the long road to China, American swimmer Michael Phelps is now preparing to tackle the final steps to sporting immortality.

Phelps' journey to Olympic greatness began in Athens four years ago when he won six gold medals but he has his sights set on eight in Beijing.

If successful, he will break Mark Spitz's record of winning seven golds at a single Olympics, set in Munich in 1972, but even if he wins half his races, he will still become the most prolific gold medalist of all time.


US swimmer Michael Phelps adjusts his goggles during a training session ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 8, 2008. [Agencies] Click for more photos

It would be a staggering achievement and although the odds are stacked against him winning the lot, no-one is prepared to dismiss his chances.

"I've seen him do some of the most amazing things," said Eddie Reese, the head coach of the US men's team. "I would safely say I would never bet against him."

Phelps has been desperately trying to talk down his prospects but has failed miserably in trying to keep a lid on all the hype.

The International Olympic Committee agreed to switch the swimming finals from evenings to mornings so that his races could be seen live on American television in prime time and his arrival in Beijing was the sort of reception normally given to pop stars.

"The biggest advantage he has now is that he's been through the process before," his personal coach Bob Bowman said.

"So he knew what to expect and he's handled all of the other things that come with the Olympic Games better."

While Phelps has hogged the headlines, he is not the only swimmer striving for a place among the sport's greats in Beijing.

His team mate Katie Hoff has also entered five individual events and is a candidate for the relays as she eyes Kristin Otto's record of six swimming golds, won in Seoul in 1988.

Hoff was so overcome with nerves at Athens in 2004 that she vomited on the pool deck but said she is ready to cope with everything that comes her way this time.

"I don't feel scared anymore, or like the world is swirling around," she said. "I'm a hundred times better now."

   Previous 1 2 Next  
Comments of the article(total ) Print This Article E-mail
黔东| 淮安市| 舞钢市| 梅河口市| 祁连县| 信宜市| 扎鲁特旗| 西盟| 昌平区| 达孜县| 巩义市| 恩施市| 靖安县| 鄂尔多斯市| 迁西县| 望谟县| 定陶县| 岗巴县| 大悟县| 大理市| 清徐县| 尚志市| 望奎县| 正镶白旗| 贡觉县| 泸溪县| 弥勒县| 惠东县| 竹溪县| 洪湖市| 罗城| 夏津县| 米脂县| 金湖县| 岑溪市| 花莲市| 瑞金市| 嘉善县| 如皋市| 建水县| 奉新县|