Phelps or Thorpe?

[Chadwick]

nothing against either of htem but i like phelps because he isn't cocky or arrogant, he is just a 19 yr old in the olympics having fun.

thorpe, well he was upset when nobody came up to him when he visited New York, that says a lot about him...

[chacho]

thorpe, well he was upset when nobody came up to him when he visited New York, that says a lot about him...

no, i watched that interview, and he wasnt angry. he was surprised because of the different amount of stardom between austrailia and the US. he isn't cocky or arrogant, and neither is phelps, both are just good swimmers.

[Toxikk Veteran]

phelps got the butterfly.

he is a beast. i should watch him. some say he is the best swimmer ever... he set a new world record.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/medals?eventId=165

usa got the 4x200m freestyle too. woot.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/medals?eventId=142

[Ayepecks]

^^

New Olympic record, actually :)

[Toxikk Veteran]

same difference i thought.

shows you how much i watch the olympics. :s

[tainted_kitty]

hoogie for the 100m for sure. he was beating thorpe for the first 150m or so in the 200m freestyle.

and go thorpe! i saw him. he's heaps taller than i thought

[golazo]

he is a beast. i should watch him. some say he is the best swimmer ever... he set a new world record.

thorpe was 17 at his first olmpics and was doing better than phelps is doing now

[Toxikk Veteran]

thorpe was 17 at his first olmpics and was doing better than phelps is doing now

i don't remember him getting a buzz quite like phelps though.

credit that to the area maybe. you heard about thorpe, i heard about phelps.

they are both money swimmers, but phelps is owning the medals, so that would show he was better, right?

[Great_Wizard]

How about, Thorpe all the way!

[Paradoxcydal]

tonights the night :D don't know if its good or bad for vd hoogenband that thorpe is in an outer lane, they cant see eachother speed up the pace so that will be quite interesting.

but thorpe is a 100+ swimmer

Hoogie is a 100m swimmer..

will be a cool event i reckon :D

[golazo]

they are both money swimmers, but phelps is owning the medals, so that would show he was better, right

thorpe got 3 golds and a silver or something like that in sydney at 17

[+chorpeac MVC]

Oh yeah, USA 4x200 relay baby!!!

[Joe User 99]

The problem here, is how everyone is comparing them.

Is Thorpe, a better freestyler? I would have to say yes.

Is he a better all around swimmer (Better at all 4 strokes)? I would have to say no.

Thorpe is a freestyler, simple as that. But Phelps can do all 4 strokes well.

Yes, Thorpe got medals in Sydney and Phelps did not, but as stated, Thorpe was 17, Phelps was 15.

Two years makes a lot of difference.

And it was asked previously if anyone here was a competitive swimmer?

I am not, but my 3 boys are (9, 11, 12). And they are shooting to become the first set of 3 brothers to all make the team at the same time. :devil:

(I can see it now, all 3 in the realy, with one other swimmer.) :laugh:

But, back to the topic, I think it can be agreed, both Thorpe and Phelps are great swimmers in their respective events, they just excel in different events.

[+chorpeac MVC]

And it was asked previously if anyone here was a competitive swimmer?

the answer for me is yes. I was in high school and college.

Freestyle and Breaststroke

[golazo]

that would be cool having 3 of your own children in your countrys relay team... imagine all 4 of your boys in it lol

[....]

thorpe was 17 at his first olmpics and was doing better than phelps is doing now

Erm. No, Sorry, but that is incorrect.

Phelps already has 3 gold, a silver and a bronze.

He's virtually a lock to get three more medals.

[chacho]

Erm. No, Sorry, but that is incorrect.

Phelps already has 3 gold, a silver and a bronze.

He's virtually a lock to get three more medals.

erm. no, sorry, but that is incorrect.

phelps already has 3 gold, an2 bronzesb>

[Azadre]

I am obsessed with Ian Thorpe...

[GNRambo]

Thorpe, he made an olympic record and world record

[Joe User 99]

Thorpe, he made an olympic record and world record

:no: The only record Thorpe has broken in Athens is the olympic record in the 200 free.

Not to slight him, he does have 5 world records (including relays), however they are again, all freestyle events.

He does not even compete in other strokes, because he cannot hang. So, he may be the worlds best freestyler, but he is nowhere near the best overall swimmer. (And lets not even get started on how he DQ'd in the 400 Free at the AUS olympic trials, and was "given" his spot by another swimmer.). :whistle:

Now Phelps may not be the fastest freestyler (he came in 3rd in the 200, an event he only swam, in order to race Thorpe), however, he does have 4 world records (including relays), and they are in multiple strokes. He holds records in the Butterfly, and IM (which consists of all 4 strokes). And has set both an olympic AND a world record (broke his own 400 IM record) while in Athens. He is also the only person to ever set 5 world records in a single meet (2003 FINA world championships) (1 has since been broken by Ian Crocker), and first male to break 2 (in different events) in one day. He also qualified for the Athens games in every single stroke type.

But I still say it's like comparing Apples to Oranges. :p

[KzR]

I'll go for Thorpe.

[golazo]

Erm. No, Sorry, but that is incorrect.

Phelps already has 3 gold, a silver and a bronze.

He's virtually a lock to get three more medals.

yehhh but thorpe was 17 not 19

[Toxikk Veteran]

did he win 4 gold medals (and counting) ?????

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/swi...TC-DT9705204233

phelps is just better. period.

[bartsimpson]

The thorpedo has always been awesome and i think phelps is improving with every race. Close call. I go wit phelps just cause hes american. USA! USA! USA! USA!

[Toxikk Veteran]

ok...

he got #5 today and didnt race in the relay.

who is the man? really?