Peaty’s fireworks were sandwiched between two more world records – by Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the women’s 100m butterfly and prolific American Katie Ledecky, who obliterated her own 400m freestyle mark by nearly two seconds.
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With yet another dazzling performance, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history added to his staggering haul Sunday night in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, giving the United States a lead it never relinquished.
The result was totally expected.
Though Team USA’s gold in the freestyle relay came as a bit of a surprise, Phelps is a favorite to medal in the 100m and 200m butterfly, two events in which he holds the world record. “It shows they really do care and they love what they’re doing”, said Phelps, who earned his record 19th Olympic gold medal.
When Ledecky saw the time – 3:56.46 – she let out an uncharacteristic scream and shook her right fist.
Michael Phelps’s first gold medal of the Rio Olympics was momentarily overshadowed by widespread interest the large purple circles across his back and shoulders.
Swimming the second leg, the 31-year-old performed a magnificent turn to take the lead from France.
Phelps’ confidence is soaring after he turned in a time of 47.12 seconds in the relay Monday, which was faster than all but three other swimmers in the field – all of them anchors on the medal-winning teams and specialists in the 100 free. “The younger guys started crying, I started crying”.
Day 4 of the Rio Games features medal action in gymnastics, swimming, fencing, judo and more.
The U.S. swim team picked up three bronzes Sunday, from Dana Vollmer, Cody Miller and Leah Smith in individual events.
“Having the amount of excitement, cheering that was in the stands tonight during that race – I don’t know if I’ve heard anything like it”, Phelps said. Six weeks of therapy.
NBC’s prime-time telecast averaged 29.8 million viewers Sunday, higher than Friday’s opening ceremony and nine million more than Saturday’s lackluster first night of competition.
“My last four by 100 relay, it feels damn good to get a win”.
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“I know how hard it is to swim in the wake in that race and I was going to do whatever I could to get them out front”. “It’s been better than any money I’ve spent on anything else”.
