Two down and six to go for U.S. swimming sensation Michael Phelps.
Since the Summer Olympics got underway two days ago the swimming phenom demolished his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley to win the first of what he hopes will be an unprecedented eight golds in a single Olympics and then less than 24 hours later he swam the leadoff leg on the victorious U.S. 400 freestyle relay and collected gold yet again.
No question the 23-year-old Maryland native defies nature, but it’s not his mastery of cutting through the water at record breaking speeds that inspired me to write this piece. Rather, I want to turn your attention back to the night (morning in China) that Phelps won his first gold in the 400-meter individual medley.
After he touched the wall of the pool Phelps looked up at the large video screen that sits on the opposite side of the Water Cube venue and his eyes widened in amazement when he saw that he shaved an incredible 1.41 seconds off the world record time he set at the Olympic trials last month in Nebraska. Then, without missing a beat he immediately scanned the stands to see his mother Debbie Phelps and two sisters jumping up and down wiping away tears of joy.
I cannot imagine what that woman must have been feeling. Sure, she’s seen her only son compete in the Olympics before, but I doubt the dozens of medals, trophies, and ribbons Michael had accumulated in the past mattered to her in that moment.
After all, Debbie is a single mother of three children who raised Michael and his two sisters primarily on her own (she and her husband divorced when Michael was in elementary school). She was the one who shuttled the boy to and from early morning swim practices even while she was attending school to become a school administrator. Then on top of cooking, cleaning, cutting her kids’ hair and teaching them about responsibility, accountability, and humility, Debbie had to contend with the non-stop trips to the doctor’s office to address Michael’s diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In an interview she did with a local Maryland TV station prior to leaving for China Debbie described her upcoming trip to Beijing as “grueling” because she says, “every parent who is sitting in those stands wants their child to do their best. Every coach wants their child to do their best. So, you literally take every stroke, every breath until the race is over and they touch that wall… it’s exhausting.”
So when mother and son locked eyes after he scored his first gold a couple of nights ago you have to believe that the gesture spoke volumes for what they have endured together. Her pride in him, his gratitude for all that she sacrificed for him… are there really any words for that?
The morning after Phelps took home his first medal of these games NBC’s Tom Brokaw, who is apparently a friend of the swimmer’s family, told “Today” show viewers that no matter how many medals Michael brings home none of the accumulated hardware or accolades means more to him than the bond he shares with his mom and sisters.
If you witnessed the look mother and son shared in the moments following his first race I think you would agree that Brokaw’s comment goes without saying.