A combination photo shows Michael Phelps holding each of his eight gold medals in the swimming competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Phelps won his eighth gold medal on Sunday, beating Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals won at a single Games in 1972. The medals were won in: (Top row L-R) 400m individual medley (August 10), 4x100m freestyle relay (August 11), 200m freestyle (August 12), 200m butterfly (August 13). (Bottom row L-R) 4x200m freestyle relay (August 13), 200m individual medley (August 15), 100m butterfly (August 16), and 4x100m medley relay (August 17).
美国泳坛神童菲尔普斯在水立方的强劲势头也只有占据金牌榜头把交椅的中国代表团才能与之抗衡，超越前辈施皮茨的纪录在一届奥运会上摘取8枚金牌，夺金率高达100%，打破80年奥运会累积9金无人能破的壮举，改写安德里亚诺夫所保持的奥运会奖牌13枚的纪录，纵观奥运历史，也只有菲尔普斯一个人在两届奥运会上创造了前无古人的历史。
英国媒体在菲尔普斯成功摘得6枚金牌后撰文打趣道：“把菲尔普斯“独立”出来，“菲尔普斯王国”目前的6块金牌将和韩国、意大利平起平坐。8金？那韩国和意大利就会有掉队的。”的确，菲尔普斯一个人的夺金力量足以与参加奥运会2/3的代表团相提并论，NBA巨星科比前来为菲尔普斯捧场，世界首富比尔盖茨也为金童的胜利而欢呼，美国总统布什更是因为过于投入菲尔普斯掀起的夺金潮而差点摔倒在看台。
当然，菲尔普斯更加能赢得女孩子的青睐。小威表示，最想要的就是菲尔普斯的签名，而杰西卡-阿尔芭和为中国摘得游泳金牌的刘子歌都是名副其实的“菲迷”。除了菲尔普斯，谁能够让这么多大腕级人物为之倾倒？菲尔普斯在水立方破纪录如同拾草芥一般，在与神童一个战场上奋斗的选手也已经把夺银当作自己最大的目标，放眼当今体坛，也只有菲尔普斯有这个能耐。
Michael Phelps went on Sunday where no man has been before to win a record eighth gold at one Olympics and better Mark Spitz's landmark 1972 feat.
Phelps held his arms aloft and hugged team mates after a relatively easy men's 4x100 meters medley relay win unlike the finger-tip finishes in two of his earlier Beijing golds.
The all-time most successful Olympian, who has over nine days in China proved himself to be one of the greatest sportsmen the world has seen, showed he was still human, though.
Phelps's 14th career gold, after six in Athens, took him past fellow American Spitz's record seven at one Games in Munich. He has five more now than any other Olympian in the 112-year history of the Games.
Phelps achievement has dazzled the Chinese hosts, for whom eight is a lucky number, and brought welcome cheer to Americans during hard times.