Eight gold medals, an array of new swimming records, breaking the Mark Spitz mythos, becoming the most successful Olympic swimmer in history.

Michael Phelps, of the United States, swims to a gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley at the Olympic Aquatic Centre during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004. Phelps won the gold medal with an Olympic-record time of 1:57.14. [AP Photo]

Overbearing pre-game nonsense piled huge expectations on Michael Phelps, placing a glaring global spotlight on the 19-year-old American in Athens.

But the American swimming sensation chose to end it in this way: Six gold medals plus two bronzes, one world record and three Olympic records, leaving Spitz's gold tally intact while creating a Phelps' phenomenon, becoming the most unassertive swimmer ever in history.

"It's different when I look back," the strapping, smiling lad said, summarizing his Athens campaign. "It's something different that I have never experienced."

His Athens road went like this:

August 14 -wins the men's 400m medley in a world record time.

August 15 - his eight-gold bid sinks early as the US squad finished third behind a stunning, world record-breaking South African team and the Netherlands in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

August 16 - loses in 100m free when up against two of the other best freestyle sprinters in the world Ian Thorpe, Pieter van den Hoogenband, settling for a bronze.

August 17 - wins his second gold medal in the 200m butterfly in an Olympic record time and then anchors the US squad to defeat its long-time rival Australia in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, his third gold.

August 19 - wins the 200m individual medley with a new Olympic record, his fourth gold.

August 20 - wins a fifth gold in the 100m butterfly in a new Olympic record time.

August 21 - chooses to be a spectator rather than a competitor, watching his replacement Ian Crocker and teammates win the 4x100m medley relay with a new world record. He had beaten Crocker to second place in 100m butterfly, still receives a sixth gold for his participation in the heats.

Like that, even without jumping into the swimming pool, Michael Phelps still commanded most of the attention on the final swimming day.

"He (Crocker) had one of the great relays of all time," Phelps explained of his generous decision which allowed Crocker, world record holder in the 100m butterfly, to become a gold medallist in Athens. "He deserved the shot to prove himself and he got it."

That made Crocker have one more person to thank after the victory.

"It seems like a gift too big to accept, but I am really happy the way it ended up," Crocker said after the victory.

"I did not want to do it at first. I felt I had not earned it.

"But Michael and the coaching staff said I could go and I thank them for it."

It seems difficult to comment on Phelps' deed which is rare among the usually self-centred US athletes, but he made it an unforgettable part of his second Olympics participation, a pinnacle in his short but glorious sporting career.

"It's incredible," he said. "It's like a dream I've had since I was a little kid," he said.

"It's so good to look back and I can't complain."

While the Spitz record remains, Phelps has come to terms with it, accepting his own achievements as plenty to be proud about.

"Four years ago I did not think I could be in this competition," he said with a huge smile. "I did everything I wanna do."

Without the record burden, all he did was enjoying himself, calling winning one gold medal just fine and satisfying because he came here with nothing.

"I did the first event and from then on I was here just to have fun. I was here just to enjoy swimming," he said.

"I prepared for the Games as the best as I could and I swam in the best way I could.

"Now I can look forward from here and prepare for the next games in 2008."

In the wake of Athens, a new life is unfolding for Phelps and he has felt the difference.

"I still think I am a normal 19-year-old," he said. "But it's different now. I have changed and that's sort of a feeling that I cannot explain. There is so much going through my mind and I will confuse you with the answer."

Anyway, before starting another glorious sporting chapter, Phelps just wants to go back to normal life.

"I haven't see my grandmother for a while, and also my friends who crammed around the TV to see my swims," he said. "I want to see everybody that I miss."

Editor: Cai Yingbo