As the Paris Olympics draw to a close and the baton is passed to the LA 2028 Games, it’s hard not to feel nostalgic about certain athletes. Michael Phelps, in particular, dominated the swimming arena for years to become the most decorated athlete ever.
With 28 Olympic medals in his name, he only strived to be the best during competition and ended up being just that. Amongst all his iconic performances across various competitions, including the Olympics, his stint at 2008 Beijing has been the talk of the town.
In a resurfaced video, the legend’s historic race against Serbian swimming icon, Milorad Cavic at the Beijing Olympics brought out all the nostalgia among fans. The dramatic race was so close that debates surrounding the true winner are still fresh among swimming enthusiasts. The video was captioned,
“We flashback to the 100m men’s butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ♂️ Is this the greatest finish of all time? ♂️”
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But most fans seem to agree that the race was one of the shining moments in Phelps‘ career.
“Phelps changed swimming forever. Unique moments by the GOAT”
‘The Baltimore Bullet’ himself remembered how iconic the whole 100m butterfly race against his Serbian opponent was, especially since they were so close to the finish together.
“I still remember feeling the splash from Cavic’s lane… hitting my arms… that told me it was going to come down to the touch…”
The legend’s sister, Hillary Phelps, also thought it was one of his greatest finishes ever.
“Greatest finish of all time. Hands down. Such an epic moment in sports history…”
The difference was so minuscule that several thought Cavic deserved the win. But Phelps proved his greatness by winning by a hair-thin margin.
“Finger nail difference! Phelps the GOAT”
And lastly, one fan concluded that it was all a matter of luck.
“Both swimmers had excellent preparation, it was really a matter of luck. Cavic stretched to touch the edge and Phelps took an extra stroke, which due to his speed ended up hitting him earlier.”
As it is in sports, many competitions often end up with the closest scores between two athletes who give their best show. Cavic was one of Phelps’ biggest rivals, and he could feel him closing up on him even during the race, making it more exciting.
But what makes all the difference and rewards him with the title of GOAT is the improvisation in the end. Quick-witted decisions and expertise can give an athlete the edge no matter how close their competitions can get, and that’s what happened with Phelps.
