Top 5 Tuesday: Michael Phelps World Records
With Michael Phelps having taken down Ian Thorpe’s World Mark in the 200 free last night, it seems appropriate to discuss how this Record setting performance ranks against his others. As he is a thirteen time World Record Holder, there are more than enough possible choices in the bag. Here they are:
5. 200IM, U.S. Summer Nationals, 2006. Phelps has been tested throughout his career. In fact, his refusal to back down from any big name (Thorpe, Peirsol, Vendt, Malchow, etc.) is one of the major staples of his career. And coming into this race, Phelps found himself up against a new big name: Ryan Lochte. Lochte had made a name for himself by shattering Phelps’ American Record over the short course version of this event by over a second just a few months before. The two battled back and forth, and in the end it took a phenomenal freestyle leg from Phelps to come out on top of Lochte, and it took a World Record to do it. The two finished the year over two seconds ahead of the third place competitor in the World.
4. Men’s 4X100 Freestyle Relay, Pan Pacific Championships, 2006. Gary Hall Jr. led some of the criticisms of Phelps’ selection for this relay in the 2004 Olympics. Phelps put any skeptics to rest though as he led off in under 49 seconds, and set the tone for a relay that desperately needed to get back on top after disappointments at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. This also marked Phelps’ first relay world mark, showing how much the team means to him.
3. 200 Free, World Championships, 2007. Amazing. Considered one of the most unbreakable World Records around, Phelps has just taken down the great Ian Thorpe’s mark in the 200 free. In so doing, it became the sixth different event in which Phelps has held a World Record. He also smashed the field by over 2 seconds! Does this man have a limit?
2. 200 Fly, U.S. Spring National Championships, 2001: Michael’s first World Record. If there were any doubters about how good Michael was, and would be, they were silenced after Phelps took down Olympic Champion Tom Malchow’s World Mark. It’s tough to call any one particular of Phelps’ swims a “breakout,” but outside of his Olympic qualifying 200 Fly in 2000, this led to Phelps dominating discussion within the swimming community. From here he began to branch out his event list, but not until this record did people truly begin to realize how good this “kid” would be.
1. 400IM, U.S. Summer Nationals, 2002. As Phelps had already established himself as the newly crowned king of butterfly, this World Record alerted the swimming community of one thing: Phelps was not out to just be the best butterflyer of all time, but the best swimmer. This record is even more impressive because of the conditions under which it was set. Erik Vendt came into the race as the new king of the individual medley, after his silver medal at the Olympics, and the absence of gold medallist Tom Dolan. But even though Vendt broke the existing World Record, Phelps won the race and showed the world the versatility for which he has since been known.
There you have it, my Top 5. Will there be another record from these Championships that will bump one of these out?
Comment by Michel Angstadt
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 08:02
The longevity of these records will in the end serve to rank them in terms of greatness, but the most recent one is certainly second-to-none.
I imagine Ian Thorpe must have released a huge sigh of relief today after seeing the beating he would have gotten if he hadn’t retired in time.
Comment by Scott
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 08:06
While Thorpe denies a comeback… this could provide as motivation… ah, I doubt it.
Comment by JB
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 08:14
What is most impressive to me about the new 200 free WR is that it is probably Michael’s 4th best event, behind the 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM (although it’s getting tougher to order his events from best to “worst” these days). Yet, he took down the WR of the greatest freestyler of all time. I place this record first because it’s Michael’s first non-IM/butterfly WR. Plus, he dropped over a full second off his PR to get there.
Before the meet, I didn’t think Phelps would be able to beat the sprinters, at their best, in 100 events. But, given this 200 free and the 100 free lead-off the other night, I think Crocker’s 100 fly WR could be in some jeopardy. What a great race that will be!
Comment by Waynestuff
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 08:15
Agreed - longevity will be the greatest judge. But i think this one will be fairly high up there. It was the more beatable record of Thorpe’s, but it was still a very lofty mark.
I don’t think there’s anything that could motivate Thorpe to make a comeback. It was never about beating anyone other than himself. When asked if he was pleased that Park was over 4 seconds off his 400 record a few days ago, Thorpe responded “I couldn’t care less, I hope they get to that record very soon so that I can just move on.”
Comment by Michael
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 09:06
I agree with many of your top 5, but I would have to include one of Phelp’s old school Nag records in there.
100 meter Fly, @ Rutgers, 1996- 1:08.54. Not only did he win the event by over five seconds, but he did a personal best time by two seconds, achieved his first nag record by beating chas mortons old mark by about a second.
Comment by alice
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 09:26
I am one of those who doubted about Phelps breaking the 200 Free WR at this meet as I don’t think he can improve by 3 seconds from semi-final, not until I see him swim 1:44. But he is truely amazing. He blew away from each wall which I think make a perfect race.
By the way he has already broken WR 17th times (in 5 different events), not 13.
But his semi-final 200 Fly scared me. I am expecting another WR as I speculate that he wants to make history again by breaking 2 WR in the same day. But Wu Peng nearly won with faster last 50. Hope Phelps is not too tired after the magnificent 200 Free. I look forward to more WRs. (Possibly I am another spoiled swimming fan).
Comment by Dylan
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 10:13
David -
Phelps first relay World Record was set in 2002 - at Pan Pacs in the 400 Medley Relay. This was before Crocker’s breakout 100 fly at 2003 Worlds. When do you think Phelps will go after the 200 back WR again? After 08? He was .15 off Peirsol’s old record at 2003 Nationals.
Comment by Erik
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 10:36
It’s a good list by David — but honestly I have a feeling that the best is yet to come. He is obviously in top condition at this meet - and we will probably see a few more records being shattered. I can only imagine what he will do to the 200 Fly tomorrow. I would not worry about the semis too much - he took it very easy in the 200 Free semi as well and then dropped 3 seconds.
Comment by JJ Shag
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 11:04
He’s got stiff competition in all his remaining events; I think he’ll squeak by or better in all except 100 fly, and will outduel Lochte again w/ both under the WR in the 200 IM
Comment by alice
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 11:59
100 Fly & 200 Back are the only events that he hasn’t improved on since achieving personal best in 2003 & early 2004 respectively. Hope we see his PBs in these events soon. Hope they put him on 200 Back in the Duel in the Pool and see how he swims this event when he is in top form.
Comment by Woodward
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 12:37
One small correction David … the 200IM World Record last year was set at the Pan Pacific Championships. Though Ryan pushed him at both meets.
Bowman commented that Michael has improved his strength without losing his endurance. You can see that with his wallwork. He’s always been great off the walls … but now he’s even better. I think Crocker’s knees must be knocking. He didn’t quite look sharp in the 50 fly and with Michael’s explosiveness right now I think he may be ready to go into sub 51 territory.
Comment by Julie
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 16:30
Michel. Why bring in the barbs? People are allowed to retire from a sport.
Any fear of being beaten is less than the fear of wasting your life trying not to be beaten when you no longer need to win..Everybody will retire one day.
On the reverse maybeThorpe is glad to have his record broken. Remember he did not like swimming professionally any more.
Comment by J.J.
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 17:28
The other night Thorpe was quoted as saying he even wished the records would be broken so he could get on with his life. It may not be from ambivalence about quitting, but rather may mean the opposite, that he’s content with his decision but already weary of being harrassed about it; once the records are gone, there would be less call for him to reverse his retirement decision.
I remember Mary T. saying the same thing when her 200 fly record was broken 20 yrs later! And Matt Biondi hated being interviewed by one of the magazines a couple yrs back to talk about his swimming years. Some of the retired stars seem to want to maintain more of an identity with their accomplishment in the sport throughout, and all tracks seem fine, everyone’s different. Thorpe wants to be an adviser to current Ozzie swimmers which seems another great way to maintain an identity. Thorpe seems fine with his decision right now; I say leave him alone, and only time will tell if that will ever change.
Comment by borgelsucks
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 19:17
well I don’t even know how you keep it to five. I mean the guy now owns 4 of the 11 individual world records in Olympic events (i’m not counting stroke 50’s, 800 free, or the 75 corkscrew). Then you can add the fact that he held the 100 fly for a period of time and was .15 off the 2 back…..
Comment by David
Posted on March 27th, 2007 at 19:59
Alright, alright a couple small slip-ups. In regards to Ian Crocker’s 50 Fly, I would just like to point out that he had not shaved yet, as he is saving it for the 100. Expect a great race out of Ian.
Comment by Michel Angstadt
Posted on March 28th, 2007 at 03:26
Julie, there’s been a lot of speculation about the motives for Thorpe’s retirement. I’m sure it cannot be pinned down to just one factor.
At 17 he was crowned King of the world and then in Barcelona 2003 along came Phelps and stole the limelight. In Athens 2004 he went further ahead.
I’m sure the fear of not being up to the challenge in Melbourne may have had some influence. I very much admire what Ian Thorpe did as a swimmer, but there’s a mental aspect that has Phelps one or two steps above everyone else.
With the benefit of hindsight, it can be said that Filippo Magnini was wise not to take part in the 200 freestyle. VDH is hurt going into the 100, whereas the Italian is not.
Comment by Top 5 Tuesday: Surprises from the Past Week - Timed Finals
Posted on April 3rd, 2007 at 14:07
[…] 1. Ian Thorpe Drug Controversy. Nathan posted a great article dealing with this, and the point is: a lot is up in the air. I, for one, would be absolutely shocked if it came out that Ian Thorpe was doping. Nonetheless, this hit the swimming community (and the athletic community, and Australia for that matter) pretty hard. Many have come out in favor of Thorpe, but damage has been done. This is shocking for many of the reasons you discussed in commenting on our coverage of this. As Thorpe has wondered: how did they even get the sample? Regardless, this is the number one shocking event of the week…and unfortunately so, as the swimming took a back seat to the controversy after it came out. Thank you L’Equipe. Last Week’s Top 5 […]
Comment by Cornell
Posted on April 8th, 2007 at 17:24
I can’t argue with anyone’s top choices, but to me, the most impressive Phelps record was his 200IM at the 2003 Summer Nats in College Park, MD. He had just broken the 200IM mark in Barcelona on July 25th, 2003, and for him to sustain his taper until August 9th (and be motivated to outshine his WC effort) is truly a testament to Phelps’ greatness.