“Looking at That as a Benchmark”: Swimming Legend Whose Records Michael Phelps Broke, Believed 28-Time Olympic Medalist Will Also, Be Taken Over by Young Generation

A swimming enthusiast must be aware of who Michael Phelps is. His persona is powerful and appealing, and it never fails to leave fans in awe. Apart from this, his diligent and enthusiastic self is one of the reasons why fans adore him. The athlete showcased his talent and skills, almost owning the swimming world for over 12 years. Not only that, another proof that he dominated everyone in the pool is the two-digit number of medals he bagged in his entire swimming career.

Even though breaking Phelps’ record might seem impossible, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, Mark Spitz, thinks it will be made possible in the future. That’s a huge statement, but why not? 

Is it possible to break Phelps’ record?

The 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich turned out to be outstanding for Mark Spitz. He set a world record for the highest number of gold medals in a single Olympics. 36 years later, swimming got its fresh face in Michael Phelps. Notably, he broke Spitz’s record by taking back eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

That being said, Spitz believes that the upcoming generation will also have the potential to break Phelps’ record. That’s a distinct case in that there’s no time estimation of when that will happen.

“Records are made to be broken, a point in case being Michael breaking my record that took over 30 years to do,” said seven-time Olympic champion, Mark Spitz. “Stories will still continue to be written about athletes that will challenge those that came before them.“

READ MORE: “His Legs Are Massive”: Michael Phelps Also Known for Body Structure, Was Left Dazzled by Usain Bolt on Their First Abrupt Meet After 12 Years of Dominating the Olympics

“I don’t want to diminish the value of any one of Michael’s medals, but the young swimmers are looking at that as a benchmark,” said Mark Spitz. Beating Michael Phelps’ record, that too, in the pool is undoubtedly challenging. Nonetheless, we might see new star swimmers raising the bar higher. 

Michael Phelps and the upcoming swimming star

Spitz and Phelps both belong to the same background, having their share of difficulties. It is not beyond the boundaries of possibility, but it is not trouble-free as well. Nonetheless, like Spitz and Phelps, if one does the hard work consistently, it can be made possible someday. 

It’ll be interesting to see who the next face of swimming will be. Katie Ledecky? Caeleb Dressel? Or the star of Romania, David Popovici? Who do you think can be the one?

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