I'm watching "The Greatest Race" on NBC's Peacock Channel now. As a competitive swimmer and water polo player in high school, I love swimming. I live in NYC now but I still dream about being in the pool. There are endless great moments in sports history. There was Secretariat's shattering 1973 Triple Crown records. Then there is perhaps the greatest moment in sports history with Jesse Owens' 1936 win in front of Adolf Hitler. In the world of swimming there is Michael Phelps. 8 golds in 8 days. I still tremble thinking about it. Alain Bernard owned the world record for the 100 meter freestyle. It's scientifically impossible to be a full body length behind the fastest swimmer in the world on the final turn and win the race. What Jason Lezak did was the "greatest achievement in sports history" in my lifetime. Every time I watch this race I am gobsmacked. I still can't believe this happened. Till this day, Ceasar Cielo holds the 100m world record with a time of 46.91. Jason's swim of 46.06 doesn't count as a world record because it was on a relay. I bow to Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, & Jason Lezak. I will never see anything like this again. Also, let's give respect to the French. Smack talk or not it takes defeating the best in the world for history to be written. Tears pour down my face each and every time I watch this epic race.
there is NO question about not only the significance of this relay win, both with Lezak's still faster even relay leg, and that the win was necessary to keep alive Phelps's chance for 8 golds. And no doubt this was a CLOSE finish. I just hope that the equally impressive relay in the 84 Olympics - the mens 800 free relay, and how INCREDIBLY impressive to the day that relay was and the anchor leg by Bruce Hayes. Considering that in LA, the US men win in a race TWICE this distance, and by only 4/100's of a second, and that when Bruce Hayes dives in with less than 2 second lead over West Germany, with the then 200 free WR holder Michael Gross passing Hayes by the first turn. And then Hayes coming from even farther behind in terms of distance, to pull even with Gross by the 175 meter mark and just out touch, it was and is still incredible. Hayes, who didn't qualify to swim the 200 free race in LA but did for the relay, was purposely chosen as anchor by the coaches for that relay because of his reputation he developed of pulling off HUGE clutch relay leg swims in important races, that were much faster than his flat start 200's. It's my hope that relay in '84 isn't forgotten and that are considered at least on par with the mens 400 relay achored by lezak, both for the close finishes and each with anchor legs that overcome seemingly insurmountable deficits to win.
It's 2021 and this event is my go-to video to get pumped up for something that is so impossible to achieve! Lezak is soooo awesome!
Went into the last leg with a huge deficit against the world record holder and still won.
I'm watching "The Greatest Race" on NBC's Peacock Channel now. As a competitive swimmer and water polo player in high school, I love swimming. I live in NYC now but I still dream about being in the pool. There are endless great moments in sports history. There was Secretariat's shattering 1973 Triple Crown records. Then there is perhaps the greatest moment in sports history with Jesse Owens' 1936 win in front of Adolf Hitler. In the world of swimming there is Michael Phelps. 8 golds in 8 days. I still tremble thinking about it. Alain Bernard owned the world record for the 100 meter freestyle. It's scientifically impossible to be a full body length behind the fastest swimmer in the world on the final turn and win the race. What Jason Lezak did was the "greatest achievement in sports history" in my lifetime. Every time I watch this race I am gobsmacked. I still can't believe this happened. Till this day, Ceasar Cielo holds the 100m world record with a time of 46.91. Jason's swim of 46.06 doesn't count as a world record because it was on a relay. I bow to Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, & Jason Lezak. I will never see anything like this again. Also, let's give respect to the French. Smack talk or not it takes defeating the best in the world for history to be written. Tears pour down my face each and every time I watch this epic race.
there is NO question about not only the significance of this relay win, both with Lezak's still faster even relay leg, and that the win was necessary to keep alive Phelps's chance for 8 golds. And no doubt this was a CLOSE finish. I just hope that the equally impressive relay in the 84 Olympics - the mens 800 free relay, and how INCREDIBLY impressive to the day that relay was and the anchor leg by Bruce Hayes. Considering that in LA, the US men win in a race TWICE this distance, and by only 4/100's of a second, and that when Bruce Hayes dives in with less than 2 second lead over West Germany, with the then 200 free WR holder Michael Gross passing Hayes by the first turn. And then Hayes coming from even farther behind in terms of distance, to pull even with Gross by the 175 meter mark and just out touch, it was and is still incredible. Hayes, who didn't qualify to swim the 200 free race in LA but did for the relay, was purposely chosen as anchor by the coaches for that relay because of his reputation he developed of pulling off HUGE clutch relay leg swims in important races, that were much faster than his flat start 200's. It's my hope that relay in '84 isn't forgotten and that are considered at least on par with the mens 400 relay achored by lezak, both for the close finishes and each with anchor legs that overcome seemingly insurmountable deficits to win.
This guy s the worst nightmare of France.
Jason Lezak!! BIG LOVE AND RESPECT!!
"May I touch?" As they earlier spoke about his physique, I got dirty vibes from that line.
GOAT
Beast...much respect....be water 💦
🏊♂️ Le zak.... the great
If he had more confidence, 45 high.