Chinese mob Phelps lookalike (+video)

Reuters

LOOKALIKES?: Former British Olympic swimmer Steve Parry (inset) and now BBC TV commentator has been mobbed in Tiananmen Square after being mistaken for US super-fish Michael Phelps, the winner of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

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Former Olympic swimmer Steve Parry, a BBC TV commentator, has been mobbed by Chinese Olympic fans as he broadcast live from Tiananmen Square because they thought he was US super-fish Michael Phelps.

Ironically, Parry, who won a bronze medal for the 200m butterfly at the 2004 Games, was beaten in that race by Phelps.

"I am not Michael Phelps," he kept shouting as fans tried to have their picture taken with him and asking for his autograph, "I am Steve Parry from England."

Parry, the BBC reported, had been asked to take a cardboard cut-out of Phelps into Tiananmen Square to show how many people would want to have their picture taken with it.

But he was instantly mobbed by over 100 fans and it took several minutes to convince people he was not the winner of eight gold medals in the photo.

Parry told the BBC: "I can't imagine what it is like to be Michael Phelps.

"If he actually did come down it would be absolute pandemonium."

* Scroll down to view the video of Steve Parry being mobbed by Phelps' fans in Tiananmen Square.

- © Fairfax NZ News