Access Blogs
Access Video Blogs
The Day That Phelps Won It All
Today was exciting around these parts… very, very exciting. Michael Phelps’ final race – giving him 8 of 8 in ’08, and the most gold medals in Olympic history – was the stuff of legend.
The games are filled with moments – and this was the moment of all moments.
The energy inside of the International Broadcast Center (IBC) today was electrifying.
At 11 AM, dozens of NBC employees were gathered in the commissary watching Dara Torres’ and Michael Phelps’ final races together. There was cheering… sighing… and high drama – it was powerful and emotional. Even though most folks didn’t have tickets to the final races at the Water Cube, this felt like the next best place to be watching the action.
Afterwards, crowds of people were gathered everywhere in clusters around the IBC, just waiting to catch a glimpse of Phelps, as he made the interview rounds --- from Costas, to Brian Williams, to “Access Hollywood” … on to NBCOlympics.com, and soon, to do the “Today” show.
Billy’s interview with Michael was fun and engaging. You can catch it Monday night on “Access”. He asks the questions that are off the beaten track.
Shaun is interviewing Dara Torres right now – she didn’t win the gold,
but her two silvers today are nothing to scoff at. I can’t wait to hear
how their discussion went. I am outside of the room where the interview
is taking place. I think Dara just said that she’d love to be a guest
correspondent for Access – how exciting!
Our crews of producers have been everywhere today – and we’re heading out on more shoots tonight; catching up with the U.S. swim team as they finally get to cut loose for the first time, at the Budweiser House, at something called the “Wet Party.”
For the next week, swimmer Amanda Beard will be joining the “Access” team – helping us interview even more athletes as we head into the second week of competition.
It’s amazing to think about how many stories have taken place so far – and how many more have yet to unfold, with 7 full days of competition left to go!
Our crews of producers have been everywhere today – and we’re heading out on more shoots tonight; catching up with the U.S. swim team as they finally get to cut loose for the first time, at the Budweiser House, at something called the “Wet Party.”
For the next week, swimmer Amanda Beard will be joining the “Access” team – helping us interview even more athletes as we head into the second week of competition.
It’s amazing to think about how many stories have taken place so far – and how many more have yet to unfold, with 7 full days of competition left to go!
Is amazing, with 7 days more left to go, anything can happen, but i must say that Dara Torres’ and Michael Phelps’ have make history, first time USA, break records in the Olympics, in this field.
USA must be so proud of their team work, cause it takes lot of people to motivate them day by day, because every time they see their family in the audience, screaming while they are wearing the American flag, they do their best job to make them proud of them!
Outsourcing Services
Watching Michael Phelps was thrilling! Not only Phelps, but Lezak was a Phenom as well. The two relay races with Lezak racing to the finish line, touching the wall first was such an exciting thing to watch, and Phelps winning his seventh gold medal by a fingertip could not have been more dramatic.
Phelps has Lezak to thank for two of his gold medals and everyone should remember that! It was a team effort that gained the team their gold medal, and Michael did not do it by himself.
As for Phelps winning eight gold medals in one Olympics is indeed a record breaker but the record did have to be broken and Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in one Olympics was the record to beat. Mark Spitz was very gracious in commending Phelps in gaining his eight gold medals in one Olympics, but Phelps is now standing alongside Spitz as the greatest Olympians in history, and Mark Spitz did it first! All of the hoopla should not forget that fact and give Spitz his due in Olympic history.
All in all, the swimming was truly exciting and memorable, and history making in so many ways. The Olympics was held on 08-08-08 and Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in Bejing, China, a first Olympics for that country, truly memorable in many respects!