Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi took bronze in 1:53.62.
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Le Clos had done plenty of talking in the lead up; he was so devastated to finish fourth he did not speak afterwards.
“I’m just thankful, that’s for sure, I wanted that one back”, he said.
South African Le Clos shocked Phelps by winning gold ahead of his idol, in Phelps’ signature event, at the London 2012 Games.
Then another gold medal for Phelps in the men’s 4×200 metre freestyle relay.
A day after Phelps’ chief rival in the 200 butterfly shadow-boxed in front of him in the ready room during the semifinals, leading to the now-infamous Phelps death stare, Phelps became the oldest individual swimming gold medalist in Olympic history.
Phelps, along with Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Townley Haas, celebrated after claiming his 25th Olympic medal before taking time to rest.
Under the his profile description on the popular internet encyclopaedia, le Clos” nickname was listed as “Michael Phelps Pool Boy”, “The guy who lost to Phelps”, “Chad oh so le Clos” and “Chad le Choke’ [sic].
He will get a chance for 13 starting Wednesday when he renews his 200m individual medley rivalry with Phelps.
The American men have won medals in every single relay in every single Olympics in which they’ve competed, an incredible streak that has now almost survived another Games.
Ledecky took the most challenging step toward a feat that’s only been done one other time, holding off Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom to win the 200 freestyle and give the American star her second gold of the games.
She is overwhelming favorite to add the 800 title later this week, an event in which she is totally dominant, and achieve a treble at those three distances that no woman has managed since American Debbie Meyer in Mexico City in 1968.
“Le Clos’ swimming career came to an end during these Olympics, as Michael Phelps stuffed him into a locker and stole his lunch money”, read another entry.
He has three more opportunities and a possible seven races in Rio, his final Olympics, in the 100m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay and 200m individual medley, which begins on Wednesday.
“That event was kind of like my bread and butter”, Phelps said.
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Hosszu added to her wins in the 400 IM and 100 backstroke with a time of 2:06.58.
