Phelps's quest inspires youngsters
Many stay up to watch swimmer compete for gold
Nearly every night for the past week, Felix Marrero and his son Emanuel have plopped down on their couch and tuned into the Beijing Olympics.
They are awed by the various acrobatic gymnasts and divers, but when the swimming races begin, Marrero said, their attention zeroes in on one man: Michael Phelps, the gold-medal-raking, record-breaking American swimmer who had six of eight potential gold medals under his belt by yesterday and a record total of 12 career Olympic gold medals, more than any Olympian.
When they watch Phelps close in on his laps - the potential for another gold medal lingering in the air - Emanuel, 9, pumps his fist in the air and chants "USA! USA!" as if he was watching from the stands.
"He's fast," he said, shivering under a towel outside Vietnam Veterans Memorial Pool in Chelsea yesterday afternoon.
"He swims like a fish," chimed in his father, who said they are hoping Phelps reaches his goal of earning eight gold medals in Beijing. "We're hoping for the best, but sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."
As Phelps continues to strike gold, young loyal fans like Emanuel continue to stay up past their bedtime, watching the intense races, which usually air after 10 p.m. His name was mentioned among children splashing in the Chelsea pool, but children are not the only ones rooting for the US champion.
"Who doesn't know who Michael Phelps is?" asked lifeguard Matt Amabello, 21. "I've always had an eye on him. I think everybody should make an effort to watch him."
Phelps has made swimming just about the coolest thing ever, said Téa Cecere, 10, who said she will stay up till "whenever" to catch Phelps gliding through the water.
Téa, who has followed Phelps (her favorite swimmer) since his first race in the Beijing Games, goes to the pool twice a week and asked her mother if she could join a swim team, the first step in her newfound plans of becoming an Olympian.
She already knows her favorite strokes: front crawl, backstroke, and butterfly.
"It's the best sport," she said, sitting on a bench by the pool in a black and pink-striped bathing suit.
"You can't be afraid of the water. You have to have a lot of stamina and be really fast."
Téa has been watching the races with her mother, Marielle Cecere, who said the anticipation that comes with every race is unavoidable.
"He's unbelievable," said Cecere of Revere. "My adrenaline gets going."
But Téa doesn't get nervous. She is confident that Phelps will keep winning, just as he has been.
"He's just going to win because he's really unstoppable," Téa said.
Jonnelle Marte can be reached at jmarte@globe.com. 