the fastest man in water

1972 Munich Olympics - Mark Spitz creates history by wearing 7 highly deserved and a million's worth Olympic gold medals around his neck. History was made as viewers around the world saw an era in the making. The world gasped in awe as this athelete broke all barrieres to clasp 7 medals in a single games. No one ever imagined that this record could ever be broken until prehaps a few more decades...

2008 Beijing Olmypics - 36 years down the time line;Already hailed as the Mark Spitz of the new generation Michael Phelps was being claimed to be the man who could at least equal Spitz's record of 7 gold medals in a single games,set aside breaking it.little did anyone know that he would re-write history by breaking the record and claiming not 6,not 7 but 8 beauties only to be crowned as the new Aqua Gladiator as newspapers around the globe proclaim him.

Phelps total Olympic career puts him at the 2nd spot with 16 medals to his credit-14 gold and 2 bronze.He is behind Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina, who won a total of 18 medals (nine gold) spanning three Olympic Games.Phelps' international titles, along with his various world records, have resulted in him being awarded the World Swimmer of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007 and American Swimmer of the Year Award in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007. Phelps has won a total of 48 career medals thus far: 40 gold, six silvers and two bronze. This includes all of the Championships in which he has competed: The Olympics, the World Championships, and the Pan Pacific Championships.

He has already broken 6 world records this Olympics this year and probably many more are yet to come at the next London Olympics scheduled for 2012.Rightly given the title of the Mark Spitz of this era he has been dominating the pools for quite some time now.And at 24 he has a long career ahead of him in which we are yet to see many more stupendous swims from this hell of an athlete...