Michael Phelps is the 2008 Sportsman of the Year
Posted on December 2nd, 2008
Michael Phelps has just added another mark in his very colorful year. Claiming 2008 as the year of Michael Phelps, the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist has joined an exclusive club which includes golfer Tiger Woods in its roster. Michaels Phelps is Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year for 2008.
Although many Olympians have been given the prestigious title before, Michael Phelps is the first swimmer to be awarded the coveted honor. The closest an Olympic swimmer got to the title was Mark Spitz who set the then 7 gold medals record in 1972, Tennis star Billy Jean King was chosen Sportswoman of the Year over Spitz then.
This year, not only did Phelps broke Spitz record with eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, he has also brought swimming into the sports limelight by claiming the Sportsman of the Year title. Sports Illustrated Group Editor Terry McDonell said in a news release “Michael Phelps as the 2008 Sportsman of the Year was the easiest choice I have made. It is so obvious that he changed not only swimming but also the entire Olympic landscape.”
In previous interviews, Phelps admitted that he has been a long admirer of the basketball superstar Michael Jordan and said that he wants to pattern his post-Games career after him. Phelps wants to accomplish in swimming what Jordan has accomplished in basketball.
“I’m trying to really grow the sport of swimming and take it to a new level. What Jordan did for the sport of basketball, hopefully I can learn from him a little bit and take what he did and put it into swimming,” said the 23-year old Olympic swimmer.
Michael Fred Phelps (his fulll name), who was born on June 30, 1985 has already won 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most gold medals by any Olympians. He now holds seven world records in swimming which includes his eight gold medals in 2008 Beijing Olympics as the most gold medals won at a single Olympics.
