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Sunday, Phelps won his 8th Olympic gold medal, touching off a wave of excitement in his home country of America.
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Phelps set seven world records in eight events, and now he can finally relax after being under so much pressure. Many though his bid to win 8 Olympic gold medals was a "mission impossible." But in victory, the Olympic swimming champion remained humble.
Phelps thinks he's the happiest guy around. He speaks of his Beijing trip as legendary and indescribable, an experience that will remain in his heart for the rest of his life.
Right now, Phelps is looking forward to a nice, long holiday. But soon he'll be back in training for the upcoming World Championship. Many people believe Phelps's achievement will strengthen swimming's status among Olympic events. Beijing's Water Cube is now a part of Olympic history, as it witnessed the breaking of 41 Olympic records and 19 world records.
After succeeding in his gold medal quest, Phelps says he wants to continue challenging himself. Another Olympic gold medalist, Japan's Kosuke Kitajima, joke that he hopes Phelps never competes in the breastroke. Kitajima is known as the "King of the Breaststroke, and he won all four gold medals in the men's 100 and 200 meter breaststroke at the Athens and Beijing Olympics. The Japanese swimmer says he is stunned by Phelps' performance, and adds he feels sincerely proud of the American's achievements and contribution to the sport of swimming.
(CCTV August 19, 2008)
