Tag: jason lezak

Michael Phelps’ 8th Gold Medal Breaks Spitz Olympic Record – The Affirmation Spot

Today’s Affirmation:

“I thrive on pressure situations. They only up my game.” (hear it)

It was close, but Michael Phelps won his record 8th gold medal surpassing Mark Spitz’s 36-year-old Olympic record. The American Mens 4 x 100 meter medley relay team pulled out the victory that made Michael Phelps the undisputed Olympic champion of champions.

For the second time in these Olympics, Jason Lezak anchored the team and brought home the gold. This time holding off a surging Team Australia.

The Americans won in world record time of 3:29.84.

A clearly fatigued Phelps was humble in describing this accomplishment, but his teammate Brendan Hansen was not shy in declaring Phelps’ accomplishment the greatest in sports. Hansen said, “What the man to my right accomplished is the biggest thing in sports general. It’s bigger than the Tour de France. It’s bigger than a pressure putt at the U.S. Open.”

Five-time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Piersol said, “My hat’s off this guy for this accomplishment.”

Phelps told NBC’s Bob Costas, “I’m at a loss for words. This was everything that I wanted to do and everything I dreamed of. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Costas asked, “You’re a bit like Michael Jordan in this respect. Jordan would extract motivation from any situation. He would even somehow perceive a slight from an intended compliment. So whether it’s (Ian) Thorpe, or it’s (Milorad) Cavic, or Alain Bernard. If it’s something real or imagined that can get under your skin you use it?

Phelps replied, “Oh yeah. I said yesterday I welcome any comments. All they do is fire me up. I love when people say that somebody can’t do something. You want to go out there and prove it that much more.”

Tonight Phelps proved it for now and all time. He finishes this Olympics with 8 gold medals, seven world records, and one Olympic record. He set a goal four years ago to come and dominate these games. He worked towards that goal for four years. Tonight it all came true.

He is an inspiration to us all.

Stay inspired!

Ray

www.theaffirmationspot.com offers downloadable mp3 affirmations for nearly every area of life – sports, sales, wealth and prosperity, health and fitness – to name just a few. Our library is growing all the time. Remember your fifth affirmation on each order is always free.




Advertisement

USA Men’s 4 X 100 Relay Team Overcomes – The Affirmation Spot for Monday August 11, 2008

Today’s Affirmation:

“Determination. I push my limits and I achieve great things.” (hear it)

Even American swimming commentator Rowdy Gaines said they wouldn’t do it. “I’ve put this down on paper a million times,” said Gaines before the race, “and I just can’t see how they win it.” Fortunately, the USA Men’s 4 X 100 freestyle relay swimming team wasn’t listening to Gaines or their French counterparts.

Alain Bernard the french anchor swimmer – and world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle – previously told a reporter that the favored French team would “smash” the Americans. In the end, it was Bernard whose anchor leg could have backed up his promise. Instead, veteran US swimmer Jason Lezak swam the fastest split in event history to chase down the Frenchman and claim gold for the Americans.

The victory returned Team USA to the top of relay swimming’s glamor event after two consecutive Olympic losses to Ian Thorpe and the Australians. The win kept alive Michael Phelps’ dream of claiming eight medals in a single Olympics. The victory also marked the first time an African American swimmer has claimed gold at the Olympics, as Cullen Jones joined teammates Lezak, Phelps, and Garrett Weber-Gale in world-record time of 3 minutes 8.24 seconds.

Watch the video:

NBC Video of Mens’ 4 x 100 Meter Freestyle

Amid the celebration of this great triumph is a reminder for us all.  The experts and other people may not give you a chance. Yet, we always have the choice to give the performance of our lives when it matters and prove them all wrong. The power of your belief combined with your desire to reach a goal are an unstoppable combination.

Stay inspired this Monday and never give up!

Ray

 

www.theaffirmationspot.com offers downloadable mp3 affirmations for nearly every area of life – sports, sales, wealth and prosperity, health and fitness – to name just a few. Our library is growing all the time. Remember your fifth affirmation on each order is always free.