It’s unfathomable to me that Michael Phelps even attempted to match Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single Games, much less actually did it.  But what is even more impressive is HOW Phelps achieved the milestone, out-touching the silver medalist by 0.01 seconds.  That’s faster than a blink of an eye…literally.  I was on the edge of my seat for the duration of the brief race, cheering on Phelps from the starting horn to the final touch.  Admittedly, I thought he’d finish second, especially with about 35 meters to go.  But, amazingly, he made up the difference in the last 20 meters, in similar fashion to Lezak’s unforgettable rally in the 4x100m freestyle relay.  The split second before NBC flashed the names of the top three finishers felt like an eternity.  When I finally saw the “1” next to Phelps name, my jaw dropped in utter disbelief.  “I can’t believe he did it,” I thought.  I got chills as I watched him cheer his accomplishment, and even have chills as I type this blog.  The way I see it, an ending like that–a victory by the slimmest of margins while competing for an Olympic gold medal, with the world watching, and history waiting to be re-written–could not have been scripted any better.  It’s the stuff of legend.  It’s the reason the Olympics are so special.  It’s why we gather around our televisions every four years to see who pulls off the next amazing athletic feat.  It’s reality TV at its very best.

Congratulations, Michael Phelps.  You are simply amazing.