Kevin Dunleavy, The Examiner
2008-08-15 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

WASHINGTON -

Mark Spitz, like Michael Phelps, was an amazing physical specimen.

But what really set him apart was his bravado.

In his first Olympics, at age 18, Spitz predicted he would win six gold medals, but got just two, both in relay events.

Spitz eventually reached his goal — plus one — at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

Like Spitz, Phelps isn’t lacking for confidence.

“As far as the Mark Spitz thing goes, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I want to be the first Michael Phelps and not the second Mark Spitz,” Phelps said before the games.

Phelps tried to beat Spitz’s record four years ago in Athens, but fell short when he picked up bronze medals in the 200 free and the 4x100 free relay.

But this time around, like Spitz in Munich, Phelps has set a world record with each gold he has collected in Beijing.

The events Spitz and Phelps swam are almost identical, with the only differences being that Spitz swam the 100-meter freestyle, and instead Phelps swam the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys.

Phelps has already won more career gold medals (12) than Spitz (nine), but what remains is to better Spitz’s record of seven golds in one Olympiad.