GOLD MEDAL MEL

ROME Showdown: Michael Phelps v Milorad Cavic

Milorad Cavic had a lot more to say in our interview. He covered the gamut, 

from the FINA suit fiasco to athletes doping. (I'll post the additional video later.)

Cavic became famous in the spring of 2008 (before he ever faced-off with Phelps), when he won the 50 meter butterfly in world record time (23.11) at the European Championships, then proceeded to accept his gold medal wearing a T-shirt that read "Kosovo is Serbia" during the awards ceremony. Cavic was promptly excused from the rest of competition, creating a huge question mark regarding his speed in the 100 butterfly. Many felt he was on track to go 50 seconds in the 100 fly, which he achieved later at the Olympic Games in Beijing when he nearly halted Phelps' record setting 8-gold medal haul. 

Cavic is a proud Serbian, as well as a Cal Berkley graduate. His nationalistic bent is deep and nuanced, something that doesn't always come across in video "sound bites". 

Here's CNN's coverage of the European Championship story, which adds a little more background: 

 

Back in the late spring of 2008, I carried my bias about Cavic with me, not following the story closely enough. Sadly, the sound bites made up all I really knew about him.  Aside from that I didn't think Cavic had a shot at a gold medal in Beijing at the Olympics.  

Interestingly, I did interview Cavic at a USA Swimming Grand Prix Series competition in Omaha a mere 3 weeks from US Olympic Trials. Cavic was low-key and eloquent, but he stated flatly that he would challenge Phelps in Beijing, that he would be in contention for gold.  I thought, Brash dude! Good luck with that!  But I immediately liked him.  I like, or more accurately, I love any athlete who has an undying belief in him or herself.  That breed tends to pull-off the impossible. 

At the World Championships in Rome, the Cavic v Phelps match is the most anticipated race. Adding to the drama will be the FINA Suit Fiasco.  Phelps will be wearing the LZR Racer, which only has panels of non-permeable fabric (material, many believe, creates floatation, resulting in faster swims).   Cavic, now an Arena sponsored athlete, will most likely be in an Arena X-Glide, which is made-up of 99% non-permeable fabric. (Arena engineered several tiny holes in the X-Glide model after it didn't make the infamous FINA approved list in May.) 

Cavic spoke to me at length about the "FINA Suit Wars" issue.  He feels the suits nearly make this World Championships a "joke". He added that athletes didn't have a voice in FINA's decision making process. His frustration could be felt an ocean away over the telephone interview.

At the end of the day, whoever takes the 100 butterfly crown in Rome will be make history.  Additionally, Cavic's fame will increase.  He became a darling of the highbrow sports writers in Beijing last summer. They all commented on his intelligence and grace after his "fingernail" loss to Phelps. 

Michael Phelps is Mr. Swimming.  He has kicked the door open, media-wise. Swimming matters on the global stage.  Few athletes have even attempted to follow Phelps through that door.  Cavic is one of them. (At Worlds I'll be on the lookout for others with the same potential...) 

For the straight stuff on Milorad Cavic, go to his blog here.

Michael Phelps v Milorad Cavic

Below, a commercial for the 2009 FINA World Championships:

Phelps is THE STAR, and yes, Alain Bernard is a star in his own right, but the real showdown at the World Championships in Rome will be Phelps v Cavic. 

Globally,  non-swimming fans know Phelps, they know that there is a swimsuit controversy (though they don't understand it), and they know that a guy from Serbia almost halted Phelps historic 8 medal haul at the Olympics in Beijing.

The Serbian's name: Milorad Cavic.  

The race: 100 meter Butterfly.

In Beijing it was Phelps' 7th of 8 races, his 7th Olympic gold medal, tying him with Mark Spitz's performance in 1972. Phelps won by a fingernail with a karate chop, half stroke at the wall. Many believed, and still do, that Cavic actually touched the wall first, but that Phelps hit the electronic touch-pad harder, netting him the win.  

There will be many great match-ups in Rome. Most fans are eagerly awaiting the men's 4x100 free relay, anticipating a French payback after Jason Lezak's stunning defeat of Alain Bernard on the anchor leg of that Olympic race. But the teeth have been taken out of that fight. Lezak has opted-out of World Champs to compete at the Maccabiah Games in July.

The 100 meter fly is it, especially after Phelps' performance in Montreal less than 3 weeks ago, where he missed the 100 fly world record by less than 8 one-hundredths of a second.  

For "suit wars" watchers: 

Phelps should wear the Speedo LZR, despite rumors that Speedo will let him wear another of the new hi-tech brands.

Cavic should wear the Arena X-glide.

Here's Cavic in an interview I did with him right after Olympic 100 butterfly final:  

And here's my latest GOLD MEDAL MINUTE with Peter Carlisle (managing director of Olympic and action sports at Octagon), Michael Phelps' sports agent:

Heading to US Nationals next week, aka the World Championship Select Meet. Look for my coverage, the inside stuff, on GMM.