Submerged
Actually, Phelps did compete in multiple races of the same stroke. He did the 100 and 200 fly. The 200 and 400 IM. The 200 and 400 freestyle events. Also all the relay events. They have periods of the same strokes for different distances. Unless you mean something else?
daan
In Beijing he did the 200 freestyle, the 4x100 freestyle & the 4x200 freestyle. 100 & 200 butterfly. That's at least 2 races of each stroke that he does and 2 medley races too (200 & 400.)
If you take Carl Lewis. He got a load of medals, in 2 different disciplines, yet there were still only 4 events he could do. There is no 4x200 in running or else he would have golded that too probably.
I don’t think I made myself clear. I meant it as he doesn’t have all 19 medals in one stroke. And considering the Individual Medley requires 4 strokes in one race the three categories he has medals in shows a proficiency in 4 different techniques.
Blaze_409
Its an interesting point none the less. I don't deny Phelps could be the greatest olympian ever but swimming events seems to be over represented at the Olympics
Compared to the original track & field sports or modern day gymnastics it isn’t. But what swimming does differently than the other two is have its all-inclusive event take place in one four-lap race. Swimming lacks enough disciplines to have a decathlon/heptathlon or a 6/4 event all round that takes two days to complete. Swimming fills in events by having different length events. It would be the equivalent of basketball having a 1-on-1, 3-on-3, and full team events, or tennis having single game, best of 3, and full match events. I have no clue how you would add more to soccer.
BJBEOSmitty
How do you propose a TEAM SPORT has legit competition for multiple medals? How many tickets would be sold for a Corner Kick Medal competition? Or a Volleyball Setting competition? Are you serious?
I think you are kind of missing the point. Phelps is a great and successful athlete. He has won more medals than anyone. But that does not necessarily make him a greater athlete than those who compete in a sport where one round/heat can take longer than the total sum of Phelps’ time in the pool during all his Olympic events. You would be hard pressed to convince many people that Phelps is a better athlete than someone like Jordan or Pele (is he the Jordan of soccer?). Arguably, decathlon winners do more in two days than Phelps does in an entire Olympics.
Don’t confuse that with saying Phelps is not deserving of the praise, because mastering nearly every event in your sport is an amazing achievement. But the question is, if you put each sport side-by-side does the level of achievement need to be looked at on a weighted scale? It’s a semi-philosophical discussion of whether a single medal achieved after 6, 90+ minute events is the same as a medal achieved in 6, 2 minute events.
daan
I certainly didn't mean to belittle his efforts and achievements, but someone who does 1 or 2 events in a games is always going to lose in total medal count to someone who can do 8 events.
I agree, which is why I went on to explain that it is really all in how you personally view it.
BJBEOSmitty
Angry? Emotional?
Interesting you come to that conclusion with simple text. Must be how you interpreted things. Not my problem nor can I do anything about that.
Then you have poor Internet etiquette. All caps are the text equivalent of yelling.
If you know that then I have to look at this:
Ever heard of TEAM TENNIS?
And ask why are you yelling? If you are looking to add emphasis try
bold or
italics.
Beautiful set up.
