It’s official ladies and gentlemen.
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps tied former U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz Friday night (Saturday morning in Beijing) for most gold medals earned by an athlete at a single Olympic game.
Phelps earned his record-tying seventh gold medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in heart-pounding fashion.
He edged out Serbia’s Milorad Cavic by one tenth of second in the 100-meter butterfly at the Water Cube.
Phelps reached the 50-meter turn seventh and seemed as though he would earn silver as the two swimmers touched the wall.
That was not the case as Phelps’ time of 50.58 seconds was just fast enough to defeat Cavic — who recorded a time of 50.59 seconds.
Phelps said pre-race comments made by the Serbian athlete provided motivation for the race.
“Cavic said it would be good for me and good for swimming if he won,” Phelps told Andrea Kramer in an NBC poolside interview after the race. “I’m at a loss for words. I had no idea the race was that close. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the wall first.”
Spitz earned his seven gold medals during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
Phelps will try to make the record all his own Saturday night (Sunday morning in Beijing) in the 4×100-meter medley relay during the final day of swimming in the Olympics.
Visit lsureveille.com for more on Phelps’ chase for the record.
—-Contact The Daily Reveille at [email protected]