Phelps gets taste of gold

Laura Vecsey

August 15, 2004

Michael Phelps pushes off to start his 400-meter individual medley heat, where he advanced in 4:13.29. After winning gold in the final, Phelps said: "I dedicate it to myself. I worked hard for this." He will swim today in the 200 freestyle preliminaries and semifinal and the 400 freestyle relay final. (Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron / August 14, 2004)

ATHENS - One gold medal down, six to go. Or maybe it's seven, which would mean an unthinkable attempt for eight gold medals.

We all know what that means: Michael Phelps as immortal as a Greek god. Maybe Zeus. Certainly Poseidon.

Conventional wisdom says it's impossible, right?

Well, until proved otherwise ...

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Yesterday, notching Olympic medal No. 1 with nothing less than a world record in the 400-meter individual medley, Phelps lifted the first gold medal for any American at these Summer Games to his bright, white teeth and bit it.

Bet the cameras liked that.

Hi, NBC. Hello, world. You have just witnessed my personal opening ceremony. Hope you liked it.

At least it was swift confirmation of everything that has been plotted and planned. Phelps recorded gold No. 1 in 4:08.26 - faster than anyone else ever, including a man named Mark Spitz, who in 1972 won more Olympic gold medals in Munich than the Olympic logo has rings.

How many races will he race?

Seven or eight. Enough to give him the chance.

"I just know that when Michael swims an event, he swims to win," coach Bob Bowman said yesterday.

That the result of the 2004 Olympics race No. 1 was about what we expected from Phelps - total domination without battery-zapping exertion - doesn't diminish the fact of his feat.

He got his first gold.

If Phelps said he wanted only to win that first one, it's only because it's the one that allows the floodgate to open behind it.

See, Phelps' podium hi-jinks - tasting gold, literally - wasn't as much a playful gesture as it was a test.

Hmmm. Like the taste of this precious metal. May I have some more?

One down, six to go. Maybe seven, which means he could wind up with eight gold medals. Who knows?

Phelps probably knows. The game plan for this work week has been firmly in place for two years.

That's long enough for Speedo, Visa, cell phone companies, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the folks back home at the Meadowbrook Swim Club to pin their hopes on Phelps.

He knows what he's going after here in Greece. It's not just one gold trinket, or the fairytale fulfillment of a boyhood dream. There is too much calculation, too much planning, too much talent, too great of an opportunity at hand to get here and proclaim bliss.

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Phelps gets taste of gold

Laura Vecsey

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Phelps gets taste of gold

Laura Vecsey

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