Oh, How The Mighty Have Fallen?

I just found an article on NZHerald.co.nz about Michael Phelps.

"Michael Phelps was beaten again at the Charlotte UltraSwim today, losing to Frederick Bousquet of France in the 100-metre freestyle.

Phelps touched nearly a full second behind Bousquet, world-record holder in the 50 free, after losing his first final in nearly a year. Aaron Peirsol beat Phelps in the 200 backstroke yesterday."

Uh, okay. These people know that Phelps isn't exactly a 100m freestyler, don't they?

For those of you who don't follow swimming, Michael's first appearance at the Olympic Games was in Sydney in 2000, when he was just fifteen years old. He competed in the 200m butterfly and placed fifth. At his next Games in Athens four years later, he was probably the most famous swimmer in the world, winning the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley, placing third in the 200m freestyle and also winning two golds and a bronze in relay events. At last year's Olympics in Beijing, Michael again won the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m IM, 200m freestyle and three golds in relays. You will note that none of these events are sprint freestyle. Sure, he was in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay, but this is an event where you can afford to have a swimmer who wouldn't medal in the individual race and still win. After all, there are only three medals.

So, I hate to burst whoever wrote this article's bubble, but it doesn't really matter that he didn't win the 100m freestyle at the Charlotte UltraSwim (which is, for the record, not exactly the biggest meet on the calendar).

This is just further proof of scaremongering by the media. Oooh, Phelps is past it guys, in an insignificant meet somewhere in North Carolina today he came second, not first. It's like the time someone took a photo of him using a bong. What a bad guy! He should be so ashamed! I can't believe our children look up to this drug addict!

Fucking, shut up. The fact remains that Michael Phelps is probably the greatest swimmer ever. He's probably unbeatable in the events he trains for. It's just that the 100m freestyle is not that event. As an almost afternote, the final sentence in the article reads "He entered five events at Charlotte and won the first two, the 200 free and the 100 backstroke."

Why is the title not then, "Phelps victorious in 200m free at Charlotte UltraSwim"? Why don't people want to know good news?

Dear god. This is just getting ridiculous. You can't win everything. And it's pretty unfair to make a spectacle out of a guy with sixteen Olympic medals for coming second in one race that will be forgotten in a week's time.

Get busy living or get busy dying, babes.