TV

Michael Phelps Sparks Outrage After Racing Fake Shark

Viewers were not happy that the Olympian competed against a computer-generated shark.

While surfing off the coast of Australia, a 25-year-old man was attacked by a shark.

A great white shark near Guadalupe Island, Mexico. (David Fleetham / Barcroft India / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

By Diana Crandall

Viewers who tuned in to watch Michael Phelps race a great white shark on Sunday turned off the television feeling cheated, according to the Washington Post.

The decorated Olympian, who was billed to plunge into cold South African waters to take on the top predator, actually ended up swimming against a computer-generated version of the fish. Anyone watching had to wait 57 minutes into the program before an ecologist revealed that sharks don’t typically swim in a straight line.

“Clearly, we can’t put Michael in one lane and a white shark on the far lane. We’re gonna have to do a simulation,” said ecologist Tristan Gutteridge, one of the scientists on the much-hyped Discovery show.

To top things off? Despite the monofin strapped to his feet, Phelps lost the 100 meter by two seconds.

Here’s what people had to say about the let down online.

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