“He Was Extraordinary”- Michael Phelps Impressed Former Swimming Icon Despite Losing by a Slight Margin at the 2004 Olympics

When one hears the words professional swimming, only one man comes to our mind, and that is none other than swimming GOAT, Michael Phelps. But before Phelps came into the picture, Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe ruled the swimming world. He won gold medals, set world records, and had one of the most fluidic strokes amongst all swimmers. For years, he set the bar for swimmers. If one had to rule the freestyle event, they had to beat Thorpe. To get recognition from Thorpe meant a lot to all swimmers. Phelps received some praise from the legend after the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Stepping out of his comfort zone, he stepped into Ian’s world and created an aura around him. Since then, there was no turning back as he ruled the competition for a long time. The step taken was indeed a courageous one by Phelps, who established himself as an extraordinary swimmer. 

Michael Phelps’ decisive moment

Dethroning Thorpe was not a straightforward task. Although a significant age difference, Ian and Phelps were at the top of their game. Phelps showed his stature in the medley events as Thorpe owned freestyle events. Looking to take away his crown, he stepped into Ian’s shoes. It made Thorpe realize how special he genuinely was. 

“I have the utmost respect for Michael, what he was doing in [individual] medley, but then when he started doing it in freestyle as well, that is when I really went, wow, he was extraordinary. I wish that, you know, our careers overlapped a little bit more than what they did. … It’s like, be careful what you wish for, right?” mentioned Thorpe. 

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The 2004 Athens Olympics probably saw the race of the century between three swimmers who were at their peak. Ian Thorpe, Pieter van den Hoogenband, and Michael Phelps arrived at a rousing ovation as Thorpe took the gold. The Dutchman took home the silver while Phelps settled for a bronze medal. It was a preview of what he had in store for Beijing. 

Conquering the 200-meters

After creating the American record at the 2004 Athens Olympics, he won the 200-meter freestyle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Thorpe never returned after retiring in 2006 as Phelps smashed his Olympic record to create a world record time of 1:42.96. The aqua gladiator arrived. From there, he claimed seven more gold medals to make history.

The key takeaway is how Thorpe identified greatness. Wanting to prove him wrong, Phelps took Ian’s comments as a motivation to get better. It showcases his unparalleled determination to be the best swimmer the world has ever seen. Just the right spark needed to push forward!

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