.01 Victory Gives Phelps 7th Gold Medal in 100m Butterfly
It is humanly impossible to get any closer to winning or losing than .01 of a second. Michael Phelps, with an extra half-stroke at the end, beat Serbian Milorad Cavic with a time of 50.58 to Cavic’s 50.59. The Serbs protested the race but the review of the tape showed that Phelps had indeed won his eighth gold.
He got his hands on the wall a hundredth of a second ahead of Cavic — a finish so close the Serbians filed a protest and swimming’s governing body had to review the tape down to the 10-thousandth of a second.
“I had no idea,” Phelps said. “I was starting to hurt a little bit with probably the last 10 meters. That was my last individual race, so I was just trying to finish as strong as I could.”
Phelps’ time was 50.58 seconds, the only time in these Olympics that he won an event without breaking the world record.
This race became an instant classic and very easily the most exciting swimming race of all-time.
100 Meter Butterfly Results
- Michael Phelps (USA) 50.58
- Milorad Cavic (Serbia) 50.59
- Andrew Lauterstein (Australia) 51.12
American Ian Crocker finished just outside of the medals with a time of 51.13.
Such an exciting and magical finish to the 100 Meter Butterfly for Phelps. One would have to assume that this is Phelps year and that he will win his eighth gold Saturday night in the 4×100 Meter Medley.
2008 Beijing Gold Medal Checklist for Phelps
- 400-Meter Individual Medley - GOLD
- 4×100- Meter Free Relay - GOLD
- 200-Meter Freestyle - GOLD
- 200-Meter- Butterfly - GOLD
- 4×200-Meter Free Relay - GOLD
- 200-Meter Individual Medley - GOLD
- 100-Meter Butterfly - GOLD
- 4×100-Meter Medley Relay - GOLD
More Photos of Record Setting Olympian Michael Phelps
[images: WENN]
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This is what the race referee Ben Ekumbo said:
“There was never any danger of Phelps losing his gold medal. Michael Phelps is the greatest ever and he would have been first in this race any how. The question was whether to share (the gold medal) or not to share,”
WHAT A DISGRACE!
Phelps is the best swimmer over all, but if he was a decent human being, he would have not accepted that gold medal because he did not win that race!
The Serbian team “accepted” the judges’ decision and declined to seek an appeal, but they ware actually paid by Phelps’ sponsors not to pursue the matter further.
Officials from the International Swimming Federation stressed there was no fault with the timing system, but omitted to add that Omega, the company who supplies it, are among Phelps’ sponsors.
Why was there no replays of the finish from under the pool …. there are cameras showing finishes in other races from under the pool …. why not this race …. there is indeed a question of how a world record holder at 100m freestyle with a comfortable lead could lose to an American swimmer who was no one in the 100m relays ….. now with this race it seems Phelps had more help than he would think …..
The timing system is backed up by a battery system and both of them displayed the exact same time. There were underwater replays during the event, but you wont be able to find it anywhere because of copyright. He clearly won and deserved the medal.