The making of a super-champion

I have to admit that I already watched much more Olympic competitions than I said I would. Last night, with so many cliff-hanger events, we had little choice but watch the Beijing program. My favorite was the women’s marathon won by Constantina Tomescu of Romania with a powerful style and a formidable lead. The evening’s major event – for the media – was of course Michael Phelps victory in the medley relay as he surpassed the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz in 1972. There is no question that the man is talented, built for swimming and truly is a super-hero. The question remains “will all that make him a ‘super-champion’?” In other words, is he someone that can parley a great physical accomplishment into an image that truly inspires and captivates billions of people. To put it another way, is Phelps too much of a machine and not human and charismatic enough to capture the hearts of crowds of supporters after capturing their minds and logics. Charisma is that magical ingredient that comes in handy to transform a formidable accomplisher into a great champion. Being technically superior requires huge amounts of discipline and concentration that often take away from the human and likable side of a personality. Finding the right balance between extraordinary accomplishments and the ability to connect well with others can indeed be very hard. Personality, style and opportunism are the crucial ingredients that often deliver the frosting on the cake for a historic achievement and can transcend a remarkable victory into legendary exploit. Michael Phelps certainly brings the later, but has he got the “stuff” that can synergize everything and turn him into an unforgettable hero?