Tom's take

Phelps seizes place in history with dominating Olympics

Athlete Analysis Tom Dolan Michael Phelps can be mentioned in the same breath as Matt Biondi and Mark Spitz. AP

The two-time U.S. Olympian, who took back-to-back gold medals in the 400 IM at Atlanta and Sydney, analyzed the swimming competition for SI.com throughout the Games. On Monday, he returns to his other job as an investment banker in the private client group for Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, an Arlington, Va.-based investment firm.

The significance of Michael Phelps' accomplishments

I'll be honest. I have a hard time with the question because I love the history of the sport and I have a lot of pride in the swimmers who came before us. Matt Biondi changed our sport forever with what he did in 1988, whether our guys who are around right now realize that or not.

Definitely, Michael has to be up there with what I would consider the top three most influential performances in the history of the Games -- Mark Spitz, Janet Evans and Biondi.

I don't want to match Michael straight up and wonder whether this was a more dominating performance than Spitz or Biondi because I don't think it's fair to them or Michael. The bottom line is this: Michael Phelps is the is the most dominating swimmer in the world right now and the most dominating swimmer we've seen for a long time.

Saturday's 1,500-meter freestyle final and 4x100 medley relay final

I loved watching the 1,500-meter race. I don't think people realize that was the fastest mile we've ever seen. We had three guys break 14:50, which obviously means nothing for non-swimmers, but there were years and years where no one broke 15 minutes.

The Australians with Kieren Perkins in 1992 and 1996 finally broke through that barrier, and then Grant Hackett (who won the gold in 14:43.40) has kind of lowered that. It was a huge swim and I'm hoping that it will have an impact on the sport back home with Larsen Jensen smashing the American record. He's the first American under 14:50 and he really challenged Hackett stroke for stroke.

The 4x100 medley relay was a great end to a unique week of swimming for the U.S. Obviously, it was one of the best put-together races I saw this week. Aaron Peirsol leads off and breaks Lenny Krayzelburg's world record in the 100 back. Brendan Hansen goes 59.3 and has a great split. Ian Crocker has the fastest butterfly split in a relay of all time in 50.28, and Jason Lezak anchors with a great leg. They smashed the world record and it was huge race for us not only to win because a lot of people thought we would win, but to do it at such a high level.

The Best Race I Saw

The U.S. win in the 4x200 freestyle relay final

The momentum of the meet changed here. It kind of turned the mood and vibe of the team around, and it was clear that it was a huge statement race. We swam so much better the last three nights after this race as opposed to a rocky first couple of days. The biggest thing in the meet was the biggest names stepped up and performed, which is what you really need to have in the Olympics. It helps the people that have never been to the Olympics.

That race, if you track the week, really proved to be turning point for both the men and the women's teams. And I think the significance of beating Ian Thorpe, the big large headline name of our sport, is not only a significant piece of swimming lure for Klete Keller but for the American men as a whole. Just to have the confidence to step up and take down the Australians in one of their favorite events was a huge moment for us.

I can almost guarantee you that if you sat in on the first training camp meeting one of the goals was "beat Australia in the 800 free relay." It's a huge thing for us because quite frankly the Australians have put together great 4x200 relays that have crushed us in the past. It was simply the biggest race of the week.

My Favorite Moment

The U.S. going 1-2 in the 400 IM

For the 800 free relay, I was freaking out in the stands, but this event was my baby and for us go 1-2 again after going first and second in 1996 and 2000, I take a lot of pride in that. Any event that you make your baby, you want to see your country represented well when you're gone. To see Mike show up like that and, just as important, Eric Vendt from lane 2 getting second, that was huge. I love Vendt, who also got second in 2000. He's a great competitor and he reminds me of how I looked at the sport. That was a huge moment for me. It's such a statement for the U.S. to go 1-2 in any event.

One more thing on a personal level: Having two guys on the 800 free relay (Klete Keller and Peter Vanderkaay) with ties to Michigan, where I swam and where my coach Jon Urbanchek (who is retiring after this meet) has been around the sport for so long, was great. Two of those guys were his guys. Our guys. For me, that was extra special.