If Michael Phelps raced a dolphin in the Olympics, who would win?

Question

If Michael Phelps raced a dolphin in the Olympics, who would win?

Answer 1

We actually just wrote a blog entry on this topic! - http://nationalaquarium.wordpress.com/20...

"Most popular literature quotes dolphins as having top speeds of 20-25 mph, though up to 16 mph is more likely. The higher speeds have been recorded when bow riding,  when their speed is most likely facilitated by being pushed along in front of a boat cutting through water. More typical speeds recorded in both wild dolphins and in aquaria and zoos indicate sprints peak at 18 mph, with a cruising speed of 6.21 mph."

Answer 2

I would have to go with the Dolphin.  

Answer 3

well since the tv allways keeps saying hes not a dolphin... then the dolphin... humm... thats funny... thats like a cool promo

Answer 4

A dolphin. A dolphin can swim 100m in less then 30 sec, michael phelps takes a little under two min.

Since dolphins live in water, they are naturally better swimmers.

Answer 5

I asked exactly the same thing before!!!

To Gunstar: Michael Phelps is not half dolphin, he is actually Aquaman so he telepathically communicates with the dolphin and the dolphin get's confused and loses.

Answer 6

wow - i get hes good, but come on realistically, if a dolphin could understand what to do, he would be there and back - there and back before phelps made it there once..

Answer 7

The dolphin, but only because it's a trial race and Michael is saving his energy for the finals.

Answer 8

Probably the dolphin, but not by much!

Answer 9

Dolphin.  Unfortunately, Phelps can't swim as fast.

Although... I'm sure Phelps would win in the fly.... the dolphin would get disqualified for an illegal stroke.

Answer 10

What a great question! It'd be awfully close, but I think Phelps would come out on top by a touch. Phelps' fingers would out-touch the dolphin's nose by .001 seconds!

Answer 11

Phelps is half-dolphin half-man. Hence the ability to talk.

Therefore Phelps would destroy the dolphin with his ability to communicate with it underwater, thus distracting it, making him the winner.

Answer 12

Are you seriously asking that?

Obviously Michael Phelps would win. I'm not much of a competitive swimmer, but I have to admit his skill is insane.

Answer 13

It doesn't matter.  The promoter who set the race up and charged $19.95 for it to be on pay per view would be the clear winner.

Answer 14

20406080100  How It Works: The Dolphin Kick Snapping ankles and dancer-like toes are what makes Michael Phelps win

By Corey Binns Posted 08.01.2008 at 12:55 pm 1 Comment



Phelps Underwater: Stats:

MP’s speed through water: 1.3 meters per second MP’s speed of his body wave: 2.9 meters per second Dolphin speed through water: 3.2m per second Dolphin’s body wave speed: 6.3m per second MP’s amplitude of body wave at toes: 0.75m

Despite its name, the dolphin kick—the motion that propels the swimmer forward underwater after he dives in and at the turns—isn’t just about the legs. It requires a swimmer’s entire body to crack like a whip, creating a fluid wave that starts at the chest and increases in amplitude as it travels all the way through the toes. In the best swimmers, this wave moves at about nine feet every second, about half the speed an actual dolphin performs the same motion. To move this quickly, whole-body flexibility is key. Twenty-time world record holder Michael Phelps ripples two waves down his unusually long, flexible torso at a time—cracking the whip in his body twice as often as his competition. Since the kick moves swimmers far faster than any surface stroke (there’s less resistance underwater), perfecting it can give Phelps a big advantage off the gate. So why not just stay down there the whole race? After the 1988 Olympics, the world’s governing body of swimming, FINA, restricted it to the first 15 meters after a start or turn.

This Year

“The dolphin kick is going to be used as a weapon in Beijing,” says Russell Mark, biomechanist manager of the US national swim team. During the last four years, Mark says the best American swimmers, including Phelps, have been especially focused on honing the technique. Engineers at George Washington University studying fluid dynamics recently calculated that more than 75 percent of the propulsive force of the dolphin kick comes from snapping the ankle. “If you have the ability to flip your ankle like a ballet dancer, you’ll get more whiplash action,” says Rajat Mittal, who has consulted with USA Swimming. The elite swimmers they’ve studied can bend their ankles beyond that of a ballerina’s pointed toe.

Below: By cracking one's body like a whip, the dolphin kick can move swimmers far faster than any surface stroke.

Answer 15

Are you people nuts?  Haven't you seen Dolphins swim along ships and boats?  Phelps is good, but let's not get ridiculous!!!!

Answer 16

The dolphin will feel threatened by Phelps speed. He will try to communicate with Phelps to make sure he's not dolphin. Phelps doesn't respond so the dolphin will feel secure again and cream Phelps and put him in his place. The dolphin will show phelps that he's still human and phelps will scratch his head.

Then the dolphin will trash talk to Phelps and then show his vicious side and eat him.  

Answer 17

The dolphin...

Only because Phelps has respect for the animal kingdom.  

Answer 18

the dolphin in shark infested waters !

Answer 19

stupid question but haha' of course the dolphins, cause they're fish!

come on, humans live on land, fishes live in the sea, so humans gotta beat that in order to win! ;D

Answer 20

A dolphin by FAR. Michael Phelps swims at around 6 miles per hour, while dolphins can swim up to 33 mph.

Answer 21

Considering Phelps may just be part dolphin (no offense to him), it would be a darn close race, but I think the real dolphin would take it.

:o)  What a fun question for a change on these boards!

Answer 22

Haha that's a great question. I think Phelps would win... or the dolphin... idk. I'll go with a tie. I think he should try that though. I kind of want to know what happens lol

Answer 23

It depends.

If the race were on land, I'd put my money on Phelps.

If the race were in the water, only a fool would bet against the dolphin.

Answer 24

As fast as he is, his 200m world record freestyle time is 1 minute and 43.86 seconds.  You can almost definitely run 400m in that time.

Answer 25

Phelps is fast but I think the dolphin would win because it is in its natural element.

Answer 26

Dude even though michael phelps is fast, a dolphin can swim at speeds of up to 35 MPH :] so dolphin is definitly faster.

Answer 27

Dolphin! =)

Answer 28

the dolphin. they have been clocked at 7.3 mph. besides, if you see videos or have atually seen them they are pretty fast.

Answer 29

you know I would love to say Phelps, but a dolphin would. As well as a foot long fish. haha! I thought about that though while I was watching him...

Answer 30

i luv phelps, but dolphins swim faster than people. i am a phelps fan, but u asked me who would win so i told you lol. PHELPS ROX MY SOX.

Answer 31

Well i guess you got the response you wanted everyone of the answers is wrong What does that say for the USA school system