Michael Phelps vs. Mark Spitz: 3 down, 5 to go

After setting yet another World Record last night in the 200m freestyle, United States swimming phenom Michael Phelps, looks well on his way to another World Record, 8 gold medals in a single Olympic Games. After last night's rout, he earned his 3rd gold medal of the 2008 Summer Games and appears on his way to breaking former U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz's record of 7 gold medals in a single Olympic Games, which he accomplished in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany.

It was Phelps's ninth career gold medal, tying him with Spitz, former-U.S. trackstar Carl Lewis, Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi for the most in Olympic history. Not only is he looking to achieve the most gold medals in a single Olympic Games, but he is looking to win the most gold medals all-time!

There has been strong debate over Spitz's absence from this year's games in Beijing, China. As of yesterday Spitz could be seen on tabloids all over the Internet, speaking about his absence from this year’s games where Phelps holds a strong chance of breaking Spitz's World Record. According to Spitz, the International Olympic Committee or the US Network (which is televising the Olympics in the U.S.) should have invited him to Beijing in order to see Phelps take a shot at his World Record.

"I never got invited. You don't go to the Olympics just to say, I am going to go. Especially because of who I am," Spitz told AFP in Hong Kong.

When asked whether or not he was upset with the issue Spitz responded. "They voted me one of the top five Olympians of all time. Some of them are dead. But they invited the other ones to go to the Olympics, but not me? Yes, I am a bit upset a bout it."

Spitz thought it would have been a great idea for the IOC to invite him to present one of the gold medals to Phelps. Spitz even admitted to 'admiring' Phelps for his accomplishments and even likened Phelps to himself during the 1972 Munich Games.

"He's almost identical to me. He's a world-record holder in all these events, so he is dominating the events just like I did," Spitz said. "He reminds me of myself."

Phelps has already won gold medals in the 400m individual medley (during which he set another World Record) and led off an epic victory in the 4 x 100m free relay. Tonight Phelps will be looking to add 2 more gold medals to his repertoire; he will be competing in the 200m butterfly and the 4 x 200m free relay tonight at 10:00pm on NBC.