Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps, Townley Haas and Conor Dwyer pose during the medal presentation for the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
Advertisement
“That event was kind of like my bread and butter, and that was the last time I’ll ever swim it”. Japan’s Masato Sakai took silver with Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi winning bronze.
Phelps and le Clos have developed a healthy rivalry in the pool, which was brought to the public’s attention once again at Rio with Phelps’ now infamous pre-race staredown from the earlier day’s action.
Phelps’ 21 gold medals are 12 more than anyone else in Olympic history.
The South African 2012 Olympic champion in the 200m butterfly improved steadily in the second 50m, climbing up to third and then second after three laps.
Phelps and Ryan Lochte became the first two swimmers to win four gold medals in the event.
The 19-year-old said she wasn’t sure if she’d won until she saw the score board.
As supporters waved American flags and generated a din that made conversation hard in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on Tuesday, the most decorated Olympian of all time navigated through a swarm of khaki-vested photographers.
“That’s a lot of medals”, he said.
Le Clos beat Phelps by 0.05 seconds in the event at the London 2012 Olympics and had created tension with the American due to his ready-room antics during these Games.
After touching the wall first – barely – he held up one finger.
Le Clos then started looking up to see where Phelps was and mounted a strong comeback, coming up close to his 31-year-old rival with about 30 metres to go.
Phelps retired after the London Games, so it looked like he wouldn’t get a chance to make up for his defeat.
The U.S., which took gold in the 4×100-meter free on Sunday, holds the world and Olympic records in the 200. I thought they were going to catch him but he pulled it off.
“That was a really tough race and it hurt really badly”, Ledecky said. He was only the third-fastest swimmer on his team, but he was a full body length ahead of Britain’s James Guy when he touched in 7:00.66. Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took the silver medal and Maya DiRado of the United States won bronze.
If she wins that she would equal the women’s record of four solo swimming golds at a single Games set by East Germany’s Kristin Otto in Seoul in 1988.
Advertisement
“I came into the pool on a mission and the mission was accomplished, but the last 10 meters were not fun. I’m just so glad I got my hand on the wall first, it was all worth it”.
