Milorad Cavic Still Claims He Won 2008 Olympic Gold in 100 Fly Over Michael Phelps

Milorad Cavic Still Claims He Won 2008 Olympic Gold in 100 Fly Over Michael Phelps

Olympic silver medalist Milorad Cavic hopped on the Inside With Brett Hawke podcast to talk about his career, where he was a part of perhaps the most famous non-relay swim at the Olympic Games when he famously got beat by Michael Phelps by 0.01 in the 100 butterfly in 2008. Cavic did mention how that race put swimming on the map and how his rivalry with Phelps was built.

Swimming World Magazine July 2002 Issue- PDF ONLY - Cover

Milorad Cavic on the cover of Swimming World in July 2002.

Cavic talked about being born in Anaheim, California and growing up as a Yugoslavian citizen in the United States. He talked about representing Serbia internationally (9:20) and why he decided not to represent the United States. Growing up in Los Angeles, he talked about being influenced by Kobe Bryant (15:00) to be a good athlete and shared how he was confident he could win a medal at the 2004 Olympics in the 100 butterfly.

Cavic finished 16th in the 100 fly in the semifinals, but was fourth after the heats. His semifinal swim was hindered by the fact his suit sucked in water and he faded to last in his heat and was out of the final.

The two then talked about what everyone came to hear about, the 100 butterfly final in Beijing (22:00) where Milorad Cavic boldly predicted he would end Phelps’s perfect streak ongoing that week.

“I don’t think I lost that race,” Milorad Cavic said (27:00) about the famous final in Beijing and explains why he still believes that over 12 years later, citing photos of the finish where he had clearly touched the wall first. He said he regrets having his name attached to Phelps despite never really knowing him personally. He goes over his relationship with his silver medal (36:00) and why he doesn’t care for it.

The pair broke down the 100 fly final in Beijing (39:40) and why Cavic decided to go out so quickly as well as the 2009 race the next year (42:50) when the two rematched and Phelps got the better of him again. Cavic talked about the pressure surrounding that race in 2009 and why he looked much easier the night before in the semi finals.

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He talked about his respect and admiration for Phelps (46:00) and how much he respects him for the adversities he had overcome in his life. Cavic closed the interview by sharing what Pieter van den Hoogenband told him the night before the 100 fly final (59:00).

Milorad Cavic was the second man to break 50 seconds in the 100 butterfly in long course meters and also won a gold and a silver at the 2009 Worlds. He swam four years at Cal Berkeley and also was the 2002 Swimming World High School Swimmer of the Year. He is now a senior coach for King Aquatic Club in Washington State.

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DeepSouth

3 years ago

He sounds like Trump

-4

Anonymous

3 years ago

Reply to DeepSouth

Leonard Posa

3 years ago

Cavic messed up his finish. Thats why he lost.

-2

Scott Young

3 years ago

Well, Trump still claims he won the 2020 election…

-3

Michael Panetta

3 years ago

Reply to Scott Young

Scott Young he did but someone moved the wall, rigged!

-2

Joanne Newton

3 years ago

Reply to Scott Young

Michael Panetta good one!

Anonymous

3 years ago

Hitting the pads vs. touching the pads. You have to hit them with force to stop the clock.

-1

Dave Amezcua

3 years ago

Joke ? he took an extra stroke and lost. Photos confirm it was not a “soft pad” story.

Paul Anthony

3 years ago

Maybe he can make a medal for himself using crayons, paper and string

Andy Gallion

3 years ago

Besides the visual and touchpad evidence, he clearly won ?

Johnny Karnofsky

3 years ago

There is a precedent to declare a statistical tie for gold ?….

1984 Los Angeles, women’s 100m freestyle; Nancy Hogshead/Carrie Steinseifer

Jim Bowser

3 years ago

Reply to Johnny Karnofsky

But, there must have been back up timers to also validate the win and lost.

Johnny Karnofsky

3 years ago

Reply to Johnny Karnofsky

Jim Bowser, there were redundant systems (electronic, photographic/video, and old school manual), that took the times to the 0.001 second and declared it a tie.

Boris Talan

3 years ago

Reply to Johnny Karnofsky

Agree

Chris Breedy

3 years ago

Reply to Johnny Karnofsky

Johnny Karnofsky his result didnt warrant it-

Steven Jacobson

3 years ago

Men and Women can sometimes lie, touchpads don’t.

Boris Talan

3 years ago

Reply to Steven Jacobson

Omnis homo mendax !!!
Electronics not perfect either.
Would you give Kovic any medals ..if his electronics of Omega could be broken and on the screen could 0.00
The only explanation could be in this matter touching electronic pet does mean pressing it.

Leigh Collins

3 years ago

He lost. He got in his own way with his finish.

Adam Westcott

3 years ago

I guess it’s cool to be a sore loser these days

Leigh Collins

3 years ago

Reply to Adam Westcott

Adam Westcott so ridiculous to have press like this. Anyone that watches the race can see he messed up coming into the finish by taking that extra stroke. It happens.

Paul Dasilva

3 years ago

Still?!!!

Jim Bowser

3 years ago

Cavic is a terrific swimmer with incredible accomplishments. He is keeping himself in the press and relevant by his discussion of a incredible close race. Apparently, Phelps’ hand is quicker than his eye. It is all in the details and came down to a touch after a stroke. How does a swimmer get killed. She/he gets taken down by a stroke?.
Nevertheless, 100 fly under 50 is just blazing fast. Enjoy, the silver and imagine it is goal just like you imagine you won. It took the best guy on the planet to touch you out. Recognize your greatness and not your flaws on one race. Certainly, you are better than that one race.

Harrison Andrews

3 years ago

Simon Roberts lol

Darijan Milojkovic

3 years ago

The greatest robbery in a history of swimming ???????

Jim Rafferty

3 years ago

Tell him to tell his sob story to 1972 US Olympic basketball team……

Rich Davis

3 years ago

He dropped out of the 100Fr to concentrate on the 100Fl, so this final was his 4th race of the games. Meanwhile, it was Phelps’s 14th or 15th race of the games and he already had 6 Gold Medals. Give it up, please, you were beaten by a far superior swimmer.

Byron Shefchik

3 years ago

He won 99.9 meters of that race…

Brian Battensby

3 years ago

Have a re-match now.

Nolwazi Khanyi Luthuli

3 years ago

Just watched it on YouTube…very close???

Thomas Richner

3 years ago

https://youtu.be/xK9rbwM3omA

Joanne Newton

3 years ago

Really? The photo of the finish CLEARLY shows that Phelps won. Phelps stayed in streamline while Cavic lifted his head at the finish. As a swim coach, I’m constantly telling my swimmers to stay in streamline at the finish or else you risk losing the race…like Cavic did to Phelps…and I show them the photo finish.

-2

Brett Phillips

3 years ago

I wonder if he voted for Trump?

Pablo Morales

3 years ago

Gunnar Larson and Tim McKee tied in the 400IM in Munich 1972. But the miliseconds gave Larson the win. I don´t understand why nowadays they don´t use milisecs to solve draws…

John McCormack

3 years ago

Sounds like the president? ?? Relax it is a joke…

Carrie Power

3 years ago

Obviously a Trump supporter ?

Brian Murphy

3 years ago

Reply to Carrie Power

Carrie Power ?

Rebecca Case

3 years ago

got to talk to him when he was in La. coaching at LSU. REALLY REALLY nice guy and family man

Matt Ramey

3 years ago

Reply to Rebecca Case

Rebecca Case love hearing this about the big stars in the pool!

Dragomir Stijović

3 years ago

He said it again, today? Asking ’cause you posted this yesterday?

Matt Ramey

3 years ago

Did they use a Dominion timing system?

Jim DiFranco

3 years ago

Still holding his head up…

Jake

3 years ago

Reply to Jim DiFranco

A coach who worked with “Mike” Cavic as he grew up in So Cal said he was a loaf in practice and expected special treatment. Cavic would listen to the upcoming workout for the team and then ask the coach, “okay, but what’s my workout?” (Meaning his should be much easier.)

Junior Melendez

3 years ago

Lo creo…

Харис Чавчић

3 years ago

Maybe because he did!?

HJ Oxie

3 years ago

What a whinny little bitch, he just wasn’t good enough to win….twice.

Anonymous

3 years ago

Hilary still says she won in 2016 too.

Caleb Reigle

3 years ago

He didn’t, he got out-touched at the wall. It was close but Phelps was first

Adrienne Quinn Washington

3 years ago

How very Trump of him.

HJ Oxie

3 years ago

Whinny bitch, get over it.

Ian Johnston

3 years ago

You gotta be in some weird mental space to honestly think OMEGA had it out for you and you actually won when reality is you lost. Mental illness in my opinion.

Pamela Goldsbro

3 years ago

I’m with Ian. Maybe if he had swum for the USA he would have won?

Bob McKeon

3 years ago

Let’s go to the video tape

Yegor Litvenok

3 years ago

Dudes nobody care about what’s happens and what it is so every body have hi opinion , and yeah the system is not perfect in our age , we are far from perfect

Rob McGrath

3 years ago

He was the first milorad

Bear territory

3 years ago

Mike is a champion nonetheless and really a sweet guy with a misunderstood spirit. He cares deeply about those close to him and he speaks freely with a deadpan sense of humor. Lighten up people. He wasn’t being a she loser. As he goes on to tell us how much respect and admiration he has for phelps. As was said previously, he has a tenderness and vulnerability that makes him an awesome family man. Go bears.