AMERICAN SUPERFISH

ALL IT TAKES IS IMAGINATION. Michael Phelps.

The Chinese press, in a uniquely Chinese way, refer to him as the ‘American Superfish’, but as Michael Phelps waited imposingly on the blocks during the 4×100M Medley, it was their imaginations - and ours - which ran wild with the thought of what might unfold in the Cube, a pool paid for by China, but indisputably owned by the great wide-winged American.

Phelps only had eyes for the water, a mistress of sorts, the taker of pain, sacrifice and tears, the giver of glory, greatness and gold. It was on the cold mornings over the previous four years that Phelps really engaged his imagination and dared to believe that 8 was possible. When we were tucked up in bed, he was well into his 5 hour-a-day training regime. When we enjoyed a leisurely Sunday breakfast, he was busy packing away some of the 12,000 calories he needed every day to maintain his bulk and fuel his dream.

Imagination was there when he needed it most. As soon as he arrived in Beijing, though, its job was already done. What happened then was solely about the doing. He ruthlessly applied wave after wave of sustained power and he has changed his sport forever. Imagination got him to the blocks of 8 different finals, but determination finished the job.

And if you were wondering about those 12,000 calories, well, before he gets stuck into the kilo of pasta, 18" pizza, bottomless pit of cheese, mayonnaise sandwiches and multiple bottles of energy drink that make up just a fraction of the rest of his day, he kicks things off in style with his run of the mill Olympic breakfast: