So does the CGI shark get all those gold medals now?
It turns out that those extra years in the water really paid off for the shark who was matched up with Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.
The proud owner of 28 Olympic medals (23 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), Phelps put his speed to the test when he went head-to-head with a Great White shark to kick off the Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week coverage.
The race was promoted as a fascinating battle of two swimming machines and viewers were finally treated to the surprisingly competitive contest on Sunday night.
The moment of glory for #TeamShark!!! #PhelpsVsShark #SharkWeek pic.twitter.com/NWYp1CwiRa
— Shark Week (@SharkWeek) July 24, 2017
SPOILER ALERT: The shark was victorious.
Phelps’ gut-busting effort was measured against the top speed of a shark, which was recorded and then assigned to a computer-simulated shark that was digitally generated and shown alongside Phelps.
Rematch? Next time..warmer water. #SW30 @Discovery @SharkWeek
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) July 24, 2017
What kind of shit is that?
You mean to tell us that Phelps wasn’t actually put side-by-side with an actual shark at the starting blocks and that both creatures didn’t adhere to the start buzzer?
That’s not what we signed up for and it’s not what this disappointed group of Twitter-users were expecting either as they voiced their dismay about the nature of the race.
Turns out “Michael Phelps races a shark” was really just “Michael Phelps swims alone and then compares his time to a shark’s time.”
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) July 24, 2017
Should I feel silly that I thought Michael Phelps would actually be racing a shark??…in the water with an actual shark
— Alex Holley (@AlexHolleyFOX29) July 24, 2017
no one talk to me about the Michael phelps vs a shark bullshit I'm not happy about it
— togan lyson (@lo_mein_logs) July 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/lexberner/status/889275244195794945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportbible.com%2Fother%2Fnews-michael-phelps-finally-raced-a-shark-but-some-viewers-werent-happy-20170724
Michael Phelps not racing a real shark is like being sold Kanye tickets and then watching a Kanye hologram perform
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) July 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/saramontgom3ry/status/889373503748677632
Hahaha y'all watched an hour of this bullshit and #MichaelPhelps didn't even swim next to the shark #PhelpsVsShark
— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) July 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/MarleydaBooty/status/889295405250469888
https://twitter.com/besdao/status/889289441822601221
OMFG ITS A SIMULATED SHARK!!! This is TOTAL BULLSHIT!! #PhelpsVsShark #SharkWeek
— Tracy Jackson (@tra967cy) July 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/tiePod/status/889284388286074881
