Michael Phelps is preparing to make history in the Water Cube in this year's games.

The 23-year-old American could eclipse Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games and come away with eight.

If he does so, he will be one of the few athletes to transcend his own sport at the Games and will join other greats such as Tiger Woods - winner of 14 major golf championships - and Roger Federer, winner of 12 tennis Grand Slam titles.

US swimmer Michael Phelps attends a training session in Singapore August 2, 2008. Phelps and the US Olympic swim team is training in Singapore as part of their preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [Agencies]

Phelps will be competing in the 200m and 400m individual medleys, the 100m and 200m butterflies, the 200m freestyle and three relays at Beijing.

He comes to the Games as the reigning champion in six of these events after a record-making haul in Athens.

Phelps, who has been offered a million dollars by Speedo to match Spitz's record, prefers not to talk about the prospect of emerging as one of swimming's immortals.

"You guys talk about it," he says. "I don't talk about it. I just get in the water and compete."

Phelps says he is "more relaxed" heading into Beijing, feeling more prepared for the frenzy that will attend him than he was in Athens.

He has one major setback in his preparation when he broke his wrist when he slipped getting into a car last year.

"Having the ups and downs I have had this year, it has been a rocky year, but I am very satisfied with where I am now," said Phelps.

"I remember when I found out my wrist was broken, I was just devastated. I had no idea what would happen," said Phelps, adding he felt he "just gave everything away".

Phelps, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, is a product of the North Balitmore Aquatic Club, where he was coached by Bob Bowman.

Bowman said it was clear from the age of 11 that  "it was just apparent he was going to do whatever it took" to scale the heights to the very top.

Phelps first came to international prominence in the 2000 Olympics at Sydney when at 15 he was the youngest American swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years.

He didn't win a medal but was fifth in the 200m butterfly and five months later he broke the world record at that event at 15 year and 9 months, the youngest male ever to set a swimming world record.

Within four years he had the swimming world at his feet winning six golds at Athens.

As he prepares for Beijing, Phelps now has that fierce competitiveness that could take him that one medal further.

"In 2004, every race, I would go for it," he said. "I have been able to learn over the past two years to conserve and try to save up a little bit, because my event program is so long."

He is in the form of his life.  In the US trials, he came away with five victories in five events and two world records.

But his coach Bowman says it will be difficult winning seven, let alone eight, gold medals at the Water Cube.

"The odds are very much against it," he admitted. "Any number of things can happen. We are going into China and our goal is to have him as fit and as prepared as he can be, then put him out there and see how he goes."