Michael Phelps and the other swimmers competing in the Olympic Games know that they have to breathe while stroking through the water.

It's the spectators who hold their breath.

With his victory Thursday in the 200-meter individual medley, Mr. Phelps picked up his sixth gold medal and sixth world record of the games. Last night, he won his seventh gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly, tying Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at a single Summer Olympics.

It has been a mesmerizing performance that has attracted Americans to their televisions and set noisy barrooms cheering as one.

It also has stirred pride and interest in swimming.

"I heard the [TV] ratings are the highest back home for people watching the Olympics and watching swimming," Mr. Phelps told reporters in China. "My goal of raising the bar in the sport of swimming is coming along nicely, but it's still going to take time for me to really get it to where I want it to be."

"This is the one time every four years where [swimming] really gets a lot of exposure," said Frank Nappi, 44, president of the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club. "People who have no knowledge or interest in swimming get caught up in it. I've seen it at work. Co-workers know of my involvement in swimming and they ask me about it."

Mr. Nappi's involvement in swimming is as a coach to 150 kids, ages 6 to 18, who train year-round at Mt. Lebanon High School and outdoor pools. The club is part of Allegheny Mountain Swimming, which coordinates competitions of varying levels between more than 80 swim teams in Western Pennsylvania.

The young swimmers compete in the same events that the Olympic athletes do, including the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys, the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly.

"There is no podium," he said. "But there might occasionally be an award presentation."

Taz Greiner, 36, coach of the Woodland Hills High School team and the Woodland Hills Aquatic Team, said he sees the youths he works with getting excited about Mr. Phelps and the games.

"We're having a clinic right now, and the kids are coming in in the morning, and they're talking about staying up late and watching the events the night before," Mr. Greiner said. "The rest of the time, [swimming is] not so much [of a spectator sport], but it's not televised either. It's hard to find. A lot of times, kids find swimming on the Internet, and they come in and tell others they saw someone break a world record."

Mr. Greiner said some of the kids he coaches have been having sleep-overs to watch the competitions, which often are televised late at night.

"They're watching it," he said. "And it gets them excited about getting back into the pool."

The enthusiasm is contagious, even in corner bars tucked deep into Steelers Country, where a man in a swimsuit is rare television fare. But these are the Olympics, and an "us against the world" attitude goes perfect with a shot and a beer.

Paul Anderson, manager of the Fox & Hound in the North Hills, said young customers at the upscale sports bar have been passionate about the Olympics. Except when the Steelers were playing preseason football games, his more than two dozen television screens have been showing the games.

"We're televising them whenever they're on, all day and late into the night," he said. "The customers definitely want it on. People ask for it. Gymnastics and swimming have been the biggest so far. The main, gold-medal events, we put on the big screen."

Chuck Kelley, 34, of the North Hills, had a seat front and center at the Fox & Hound, right below the big screen.

"I knew they would always have it on here," he said. "I prefer the Summer Olympics because you get a good mix [of events]. Swimming's been the highlight this year, but it's all fun. It's part of the whole 'get behind America' again. Michael Phelps is doing great, and it's nice to be part of it.

"Would I go out of my way to watch swimming any other time of the year? No, unless it was the Swedish bikini team. Aside from that, I'm not going to watch swimming except in the Olympics."

One of those who wouldn't miss them for the world is Doug Dietrich, 18, one of Western Pennsylvania's premier swimmers. He's been watching the games with friends at his parents' home in Aspinwall.

"We went crazy when he touched the wall," said Mr. Dietrich, who soon will be attending the University of Louisville in Kentucky on a swimming scholarship. "We all just jumped up and were all over."

Mr. Dietrich, whose resume includes three state championships, took part in this year's Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., where he finished 42nd in the men's 200 meter butterfly, 7.04 seconds behind the leader. The top 16 finishers, including Mr. Phelps, qualified for the trip to China.

"I haven't met them, but I've been right next to them," he said of the swimmers he's been watching on television.

The performance, he said, has been inspiring. After swimming in front of 12,000 screaming fans in Omaha, he said, he can only imagine what it must be like in Beijing. It's great for the athletes, but it's also great for his sport.

"Some people give it respect," he said. "The ones who know about us swimming at 5 o'clock in the morning before school and all the crazy hours we put in. Other people don't know, but it's growing now, especially in the U.S. Most of my friends, they ask me questions about it. I feel like swimmers are getting more respect. The Olympics every four years, that's what everyone's swimming toward. Even if it's for two weeks every four years, it's cool when people take interest in it."

Mr. Nappi concedes that as excited as everyone seems to be about swimming now, it soon will be time for football, the World Series and other sports that people love.