Michael Phelps produced a vintage performance to claim an astonishing 19th Olympic gold medal of his career on Sunday. “I was so hyped tonight and so excited”. It’s unfathomable that the Americans would leave off a swimmer with 18 golds and 22 medals overall, especially after a dismal performance at last year’s worlds when the usa didn’t even qualify for the final – a performance that was especially galling to Phelps, who had to sit out the meet as part of his punishment for a second drunken-driving arrest. He swam the second leg for the team with a split time of 47.12 seconds.
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Held swam the third leg, with Phelps handing over to him after giving the team an advantage over defending champions France at the earlier turn, and he said the only thought in his mind was not to lose any ground.
“I have done it for awhile but I haven’t had bad ones (marks) like this awhile though”, Phelps, who in 2015 posted an Instagram photo of himself receiving the therapy, told reporters on Monday.
Phelps qualified fifth in the 200 butterfly heats with a time of 1 minute, 55.73 seconds in his first individual event in Rio.
But that gold medal will never let him forget. Now, the gold is back in America.
The result was totally expected. The man with 19 gold medals said it was the fastest 100-meter freestyle of his career.
Six swimming world records have now fallen in two days of competition, and the United States moved level with Australia on two gold medals each.
Her powerful stroke quickly made that a moot point, too.
Three-time world champion Simone Biles led the way.
Her arms churning effortlessly through the water, Ledecky touched almost 5 seconds ahead of her closest pursuer and quickly whipped around to look at the scoreboard. (Spoiler: This will probably include Phelps.) The fastest eight times from the two semifinals will advance to an eight-man final, which is held on Tuesday after 9 p.m. ET.
It was quite a culmination after thinking she had retired four years ago. “I was too exhausted to cry, I didn’t think I could cry”, Held said. “That’s what I wanted and I had been so close to breaking that all year, the past two years”.
“I knew I was the big favorite”.
She’s just getting warmed up.
U.S. won the 4×100 metres freestyle relay. She could pick up another gold in the 4×200 free relay.
It was a night of world records at the Rio pool. Not by what he did, but because of those large dark circles on his shoulder and back. The speed from Phelps and his rivals will be coming in the pool this time, and not behind the wheel of a Range Rover.
It’s the event that has become one of the most anticipated of the Olympics: the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
After Michael Phelps retired from swimming following the Olympic games in 2012, he was arrested for a second DUI in 2014 and entered a rehab facility in Arizona.
“I did it for my country and that means so much for me”. “A lot of younger guys really stepped up, and that brings more excitement to the sport”. Boomer’s even been bragging that his dad may not be the only Phelps we’ll ever see at the Olympics.
At 31 years of age, Rio is his stage to show he’s moved on not only as a swimmer but as a person.
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Going second in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, Phelps produced the fastest split of his career and put the Americans out front for good against a powerhouse field that included defending champion France, Australia and Russian Federation. Vladimir Morozov, initially banned from the Olympics, was one of Russia’s relay swimmers.
