With the United States men having medalled in every Olympics 4×100 freestyle relay since the event was introduced in 1964, there was every chance Phelps was going to add to his haul.
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Headlining last night’s action were Michael Phelps, who won his record 19th career Olympic gold medal, and Katie Ledecky, who smashed the world record in the women’s 400 free.
If Michael Phelps were a country, it could put to shame several nations when it comes to their overall medal count ever since the Olympics began in 1896. Over the past 10 Summer Games, the oldest athlete to swim in the finals for the same events in which Phelps is scheduled to compete has been 29 years old, with the average age just under 22 years old. Le Clos qualified in fourth. “That was a hard day for me, but so far it’s good”. Clos had went on to beat Phelps in the 200-meter butterfly finals in the 2012 Olympic games.
Phelps will also compete in the 100 fly and 200 individual medley, as well as two more relays. If he does win five more golds, he will not only cement the argument he is the greatest Olympian of all time. It was also faster than any of his relay splits at the last three Olympics.
He said: “I tried to do as much as I could, get my lactate cleared, had a massage, had an ice bath, eat”. “The younger guys started crying, I started crying”.
Four years ago, Phelps mistimed his finish in the swooping stroke he does better than anyone, gliding to the wall a little too long after his final stroke. Swimming the second leg, Haas finished his 200 meters in 1:44.14.
Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian and Held teamed to claim the gold in 3 minutes, 9.92 seconds for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games.
The Australians, with plenty of big names of their own, settled for the bronze.
“It’s always great to see a fairytale like that unfold in a race you’re a part of”, James Magnussen said. Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Team USA member to wear a hijab at the Olympics.
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For Phelps, it marked a triumphant return after his brief retirement from the sport.
