Bud Greenspan Presents Beijing 2008 America's Olympic Glory Jason Lezak [ Part 2/2 ]
Вставка
- Опубліковано 23 січ 2012
- Part 2 of 2 - Swim team captain Jason Lezak's thrilling world best final leg (46.06) in the 4 x 100 Freestyle relay earning the United States an upset victory over France.
"Talents never enough when you get to the level that we're aspiring to."
My greatest Olympic memory. All the talk was Phelps going for 8 medals. The BBC commentary all about Phelps. Little attention was focused on his teammates. As an Englishman watching in the UK, with limited background of US swimming, when Phelps was behind after the first leg I thought the US couldn't possibly win. After the 3rd leg it seemed certain that the US couldn't win and that Phelps's goal of 8 golds would not happen. What followed was the most heroic Olympic performance I've ever seen. Phelp's dream rested on the shoulders of Jason Lezak. From the start of Lezak's leg the BBC commentators were saying... "I can't believe he's going to do this. The French are going to spoil the party here". "Can the US catch it up?" "No I don't think they can. Look at Lezak, he's trying his best." These comments were made with less than 50m to go. "The French are going to hold on for sure". That comment was made with approximately 25m to go. With about 10m to go... "Coming back is Lezak! Lezak is coming back! He can't surely do it! JASON LEZAK'S GOT THE GOLD!" I ran around the room when it happened. I'd never felt like that. Even watching highlights 8 years later, I get a sampling of that emotion. Some may say he was doing it for his country, some may say he was just trying his best. I think he did it for his teammate(s). He was the veteran, the experienced head and they needed him. I'd never heard of Jason Lezak before that moment. I have never forgotten his name since. It's worth noting that, as I imagine it is for every nation, the British commentators reserve their most emotive reactions for British athletes. However, this was a moment when any sense of patriotism was forgotten and the heroics of one man for his team encapsulated what I believe the Olympic spirit should mean. For anyone who has managed to read my entire comment, I strongly recommend searching out the BBC commentary on the race. It's on Vimeo, but don't tell UA-cam. ;-)
Lezak is forever a legend and a hero to the US. He will never be forgotten and this swim will be shown to teams forever.
Swimming is an individual sport. These guys spend thousands of hours staring at the bottom of the pool in solitude. For Michael Phelps's dream to fall onto the shoulders of someone else is a remarkable situation. For that person to then go out and swim the greatest swim of their life, and by most accounts the greatest relay swim of all time, is truly miraculous. Jason Lezak I'd a legend of swimming forever for what he did that last 25 meters.
I dont know why, but I always end up in tears watching this miraculous moment in history.
The final interview when he was a kid was pure Gold.
Hands-down, one of Team USA's finest moments, ever. ---Seeing the faces of the arrogant French--& Bernard unwilling to even get out of the pool, was so fine! -----To Jason Lezak : Brother, you did that for an entire nation! ----------------wolfSky9, 71 y/o
Jason Lezak is a certified Legendary American Olympian. Still remember watching every second of this race almost 14 years later. Truly epic.
To re-enact the Olympic relay but speaking as a child was phenomenal!
One of the greatest moments in sports history.
The American team has done the impossible. It’s the swim of the century.
Watched with my daughter who is 8 and a competitive swimmer. I remember the race from 2008, before she was even born. She was shouting "GO! GO!" at the end and mimicked the legendary Phelps reaction when she saw it. Certainly one of the greatest swim races of all time. Lezak and this entire team is still inspiring the next generation of swimmers even after 10 years.
Damn man... Who is going to make these kinds of films now that Bud Greenspan is gone? He did such a superb job of bringing to light the drama, the suspense, the glory and despair of the best Olympic moments. Who can possibly carry the torch now?
R.I.P. Bud Greenspan.
This might be the greatest collection of swimmers ever in a race in Olympic history
i like particularly the final interview when he was a KID - HE SAYS IT ALL ! greatest ancor swimmer ever. altius citius fortius !!!
Amazing! Captain Lezak, Respect.
An olympic swimming race that will be remembered for a looong time. Thanks, Jason ... very well done!
I remember that night so well. I lost my mind watching that ending late at night and woke the whole house up. A swimmer myself in college at the time, it was truly special to witness Lezak do what he did.
46.07 split is absolutely mindboggling
Yes. This is a great video! I was at home in Boston and was screaming in front of my TV. Jason THE GREAT!
I love the youthfulness at the end all the kids come around just smiling that they got to swim and compete against each other such innocence turning into such greatness...