Michael Phelps wearing Nike's Supercharged
 600 with Flexon
The 2008 Olympic Games riveted viewers as records were broken and stars were born, all in the span of two weeks. Amid all the excitement, eyewear found a high place on the medal podium, as athletes sported products from various companies giving optical its place in the sun (see gold medalist Michael Phelps left). Read all about it in VM’s special series chronicling major vision-care companies’ presence at the Beijing Games.











Going for the Gold
 

Phelps wearing the Nike Diverge in matte white sidewinder/grey lens.


NEW YORK—Records are meant to be broken and no one in recent memory lived up to the phrase more eloquently than U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps. During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Phelps won a record-breaking 8 gold medals and shattered several world records. Along with the gold, Phelps also earned the potential to earn a $1 million bonus from his sponsors, according to Marchon.

Throughout the Games, The 23-year-old, Baltimore native chased the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics. American swimmer Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, held the record for some 35 years but history was rewritten when Phelps hit the water. In his entire swimming career, Phelps has garnered the most gold medals, making him the most awarded Olympian athlete in history.

When not in the pool, Phelps found time to sport some eye-catching sunwear. Some features of the Nike Diverge highlighted by the company include Max Optics Technology, a Ventilated Nose Bridge, and the metal plaque detailing on the frame. According to the company, Max Optics gives users clear vision from all angles of the lens while the Ventilated Nose Bridge promotes airflow to reduce fogging and keep the frame in place.

Among the brands in Marchon’s portfolio is NikeVision eyewear. Marchon’s products are distributed in over 100 countries.