Who runs the world? Olympians do.
Imagine training for one event so hard that it’s your full-time job for nearly four years and multiple that pressure by the fact that the entire world is focused on your every move for that brief moment. Those who rise to the occasion and avoid cracking under pressure can walk away from the Olympic Games as immortals.
Some of the athletic gods at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London were familiar. Michael Phelps, for example, blazed his trail of glory in 2008 at the Games in Beijing.
But there were some new faces and pleasant surprises along the way as well. Today is the last day of events and activities in London, so it’s time to reflect on some of the biggest winners 30th Olympic Games.
Join us as we look at 10 athletes who are definitely having the Best Olympics Ever.
#1 – Michael Phelps: Greatest Olympian Ever
Call him the Michael Jordan of the pool because at this point, Michael Phelps is in a league of his own. When Phelps won the 4×200-meter-freestyle relay, he made history as the most decorated Olympian ever, with 19 medals under his belt. But he ended the Games with 3 more medals added to his tally, making his grand total 22 medals.
Forget 50 Cent, T-Pain, Lil’ Wayne and all them other cats in hip-hop who think they’ve got bling. Can’t nobody see Michael Phelps’ chain game.
But swim fans will have to take Phelps’ London Games in for all it’s worth because he’s vowed he won’t return as a competitor for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Guess even Olympic gods have to call it quits at some point.
