In Focus

05 December 2008 04:27 BST

Mark Phelps: All-time great

Mark Phelps today became the most successful Olympic athlete of all time when he won his 11th gold medal in Beijing's Water Cube, but statistics alone do not determine greatness.

The 23-year-old American swimmer claimed two golds earlier today, adding to the three he had won in Beijing already and six in Athens four years ago.

Baltimore-born Phelps may have surpassed compatriot Mark Spitz's overall gold medal haul of nine, but his compatriot's seven golds in a single Games (achieved at Munich 1972) remains his target in the Chinese capital.

Until Phelps, Spitz had long been the benchmark for Olympic swimmers to aspire to.

Between 1968 and 1972 he won nine Olympic golds, one silver and one bronze, setting 33 world records in the process.

His record haul in 1972 was even achieved with the extra baggage of a Tom Selleck-style moustache.

Up until today, Phelps and Spitz had briefly shared their podium of nine Olympic golds with three others: American sprinter Carl Lewis, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi and Ukrainian gymnast Larysa Latynin.

To describe Lewis as a sprinter is to do him a disservice, the athlete, now 47, won three long jump golds alongside glory on the track in a glittering Olympic career that stretched from Los Angeles in 1984 to Atlanta 12 years later.

Gold medal success on the track over four Olympics marks Lewis out from his rivals for the title of the one true Olympic great.

Only four athletes can better that – Sir Steve Redgrave among them.

The legendary British rower began his Olympic journey in LA 24 years ago, winning gold at every subsequent Games up until Sydney 2000, where he won his fifth and final gold medal.

Hungarian fencers Pal Kovacs and Aladár Gerevich may have won gold at six and seven different Olympics respectively, but Sir Steve's achievements in an endurance event warrant special acclaim.

But Lewis, Spitz, Phelps, Nurmi and Latynin et al were – relay races excepted – on their own; for three of Sir Steve's medals three-time gold medallist and fellow Olympic great Sir Matthew Pinsent was there to support him.

It is not just golds that maketh the Olympic legend, but the circumstances surrounding their victories.

Phelps is unlikely to match the context of Jesse Owens' four gold medals in front of Adolf Hitler at Munich 1936 or replicate the wow factor of Michael Johnson's revolutionary dominance of the 200m and 400m, while the sheer number of swimming events he is able to compete in has helped his cause for medals.

By the end of this Games it is feasible for him to have won eight golds and 14 overall; achievements that are unlikely to ever be matched.

The mark of a true Olympic champion can be found in their magnanimity – Sir Steve's post-Sydney 'shoot me if you see me in a boat' remark excluded.

After being heralded as statistically the greatest Olympian in history Phelps said: "To be the most decorated Olympian of all time, it just sounds weird. I am speechless.

"It's a pretty neat title and I'm definitely honoured.

"When you have an Olympic gold medal it stays with you forever. It never gets old listening to your national anthem with a gold medal around your neck."

If Phelps can be so down to earth with 14 medals hanging round his neck then true Olympic greatness beckons.

Matthew Champion