BY TAYLOR MARSH
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It never pays to talk trash before a race. Who’s going to smash the Americans? The fastest relay sprint in history.
Chalk this gold up, then, to Jason Lezak, a 32-year-old veteran of three
Olympics who is, by comparison to Phelps, unknown. But when Phelps’s week
seemed to be crumbling before his eyes, Lezak delivered what could fairly
be described as a transcendent performance. Trailing the favored French team
by more than half a second when he dived in the pool — and facing France’s
Alain Bernard, the world record holder in the event — Lezak did not let the
Americans, or Phelps, falter.Rather, his blistering leg overcame a fading Bernard over the final 15 meters.
He touched in 3 minutes 8.24 seconds — a world record. A blink later — all
of eight hundredths of a second — Bernard’s hand hit the wall. The gold saved,
Phelps flexed his body strenuously on the deck, screaming into the air —
as exhilarating a moment as there is likely to be at these Olympics.“His last 50 meters were absolutely incredible,” Phelps said afterward.
“He had a perfect finish.” …
France gave an interview recently saying they came to Beijing to beat the Americans.
At the end of this race, the French just looked around stunned.
Way to go, team America. Phelps is on his way.
Talk about whatever you want. This was just too amazing.
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