Why are there so many Olympic medals for swimming?

It seems to me that the basic question is could you find eight track and field events that you could imagine one person doing them all let alone dominating them all? Even four? And Phelps could have been in the mix for more events if the schedule allowed. I'm not saying Phelps isn't totally deserving, just trying to clarify the case that is trying to be made. I think gymnastics is a closer comparison than track and field, several events that one person could conceivably win at.

How about making the swim relays more like a running relay? Have them do sidestroke, hold the baton above the water with the non-stroking hand, and pass it off to the next team-mate without dropping it to the bottom of the pool, which would require someone on the team to dive down and get it.

I think the link I provided is in a restricted part of those forums. Anyway, another poster there put this comparison. This is simply a copy/paste, not my thoughts, but it should get some interesting discussion. __________________________________________ Running: 100 m 100/110 m hurdles 200 m 400 m 400 m hurdles 800 m 1500 m (men) 3000 m (women) 3000 m steeplechase 5000 m 10000 m (men) 4x100 m relay 4x400 m relay 42.2 km Total: 13 races, but not feasible for a 100m runner to do well in the longest distances and vice versa. Most runners compete in no more than 2 or 3 distances because of the high degree of specialization. Swimming: 50 m free 100 m free 200 m free 400 m free 800 m free (women) 1500 m free (men) 10000 m 100 m butterfly 200 m butterfly 100 m backstroke 200 m backstroke 100 m *** 200 m *** 200 m individual medley 400 m individual medley 4x100 m free relay 4x200 m free relay 4x100 m medley relay Total: 18 races, a racer can be competitive in 10+ different distances because of the similarities in distance and technique.

The Marathon is listed, unless the 42.2 km means something else. Like you said it, including all of the 'field' events with running would be akin to including diving, water polo, or synchronized swimming with swimming. Except as someone already posted, there are athletes who do both track and field and events that explicitly combine the two. There is no aquatic decathalon where you have to do synchro, swim, play some water polo etc. But it is a stupid argument anyway (and I know you are just reporting it). It is like that cause it is. High-number medal winners will pretty much always come in gymnastics, swimming, and track & field. And since it is just an interesting statistic, not proof of divinity, sour grapes that your favorite sport is not among the contenders is kinda bizarre.

I think people are getting confused. The argument (to my understanding) is that Phelps has done something unprecedented in his sport. He has gotten more swimming medals at an Olympics than any other swimmer. Therefore, he is probably the best swimmer ever. So, he does belong in the pantheon of the most elite athletes: Tiger, Jordan, etc... because he is the best at what he does. These people arguing that swimming has too many medals or events don't get it. Phelps isn't one of the greatest athletes ever because he has more Olympic medals than Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan or the Olympic basketball team. It's because he has done something completely stunning within his sport that no one has ever accomplished.

It seems to me that the basic question is could you find eight track and field events that you could imagine one person doing them all let alone dominating them all? Even four? And Phelps could have been in the mix for more events if the schedule allowed. But how many swimmers can dominate eight events? So far. only one. For that matter how many swimmers can dominate even two or three at the Olympics? Some, but not many. All this argument shows is that it's difficult to compare two different sports, because the criteria are different. Tiger Woods or Rafael Nadal can't win eight medals (Woods can't even win one), but Phelps can't win four Grand Slams in one year. The Grand Slams are for golf and tennis what the Olympics are for swimming (except that they're annual events). So, yes, it's true that a tennis player, a gymnast or a track athlete can't win eight medals, because there aren't that many to win. But that only proves that criteria to be considered "the greatest" is different for every sport. As Amy said, Phelps has acheieved something that no one else in his sport has ever done, which certainly makes him the greatest swimmer ever. It took 36 years to break the previous record. How long would it take to duplicate the equivalent (whatever it is) in another sport?

but the gymnasts don't get separate medals for hoops, uneven bars, floor exercise, etc. This is not true. Tonight (Sunday) is the Apparatus finals for the women - where they can compete for an individual medal on each of the exercises - floor, uneven bars, balance beam and vault. The only US women competing tonight are Nastia and Shawn on the floor exercise, Sacaromone on vault - and Nastia is on a couple others.