Anyone who has ever experienced Singapores stifling humidity knows there are only two ways to seek refuge: stay inside air-conditioned buildings or take a dip in the pool.Coming from a Southeast Asian economic powerhouse and benefiting from one of the worlds best education systems, Singaporean kids cant be blamed if they go for the indoor option. Sports, including swimming, have sometimes been regarded as leisurely pursuits, not to be taken as seriously as mathematics and science.But all that could be about to change thanks to Joseph Schooling, a once shy and bespectacled kid who pulled off one of the most extraordinary upsets in Olympic swimming history by beating the seemingly invincible Michael Phelps in the Americans last individual race of his career.Think about that for a moment. Phelps, the GOAT, the man who has re-written every Olympic record, winning 23 gold medals and sinking everyone who has dared to challenge him. Unconquered in his first four races at Rio, and in his last individual event before hanging up his goggles. A man who hates to lose, competing in the 100 metres butterfly, the same race he had won at the three previous Olympics.What were the odds of anyone beating him? Let alone someone from Singapore, a tiny nation in Southeast Asia, that is smaller than some American cities, and had never won an Olympic gold medal, in any sport. Yet, in swimmings equivalent of David and Goliath, thats exactly what happened, but it was no fluke.He may come from a swimming minnow, but Schooling is no Eric the Eel, and he didnt just beat Phelps for the gold, he beat him every step of the way. Ten years younger than Phelps, the 21-year-old beat him in the heats, beat him again in the semis, beat him off the blocks in the final, beat him over the first 50m, beat him over the last 50m, then beat the Olympic record Phelps set in Beijing, with the Singaporean winning the gold in 50.39 seconds.Phelps was so angry with himself after losing the 200m butterfly final in London four years ago that he came out of retirement because it grated him so much and he wanted to atone for his rare defeat. Not this time. Relegated to a three-way tie for second with South Africas Chad le Clos, himself a world and Olympic champion, and veteran Hungarian Laszlo Cseh, he swam under his lane rope and to the centre of the pool to congratulate Schooling.No excuses. No regrets.I swam faster than I did four yea