It’s a rematch in Rio between Phelps and Chad le Clos. The look was so frosty, it’s a wonder the pool didn’t freeze over.
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Yet it’s only the third time in Olympic history that the Americans have taken the team title (2012 and 1996 were two previous titles). Within a few hours, the #PhelpsFace meme was all over social media.
“The 200 free is a much more stressful race than the 400 or the 800”, Ledecky said. The only thing missing was a weigh-in and Don King.
Simone Biles led the USA gymnasts to a victory of historic proportions in the women’s team final, setting the stage for additional gold she’s expected to capture later this week in individual events. And then raised two index fingers in the air. Katie completed the race at 1:53.73, ahead of Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who clocked in at 1:54.08.
This time, it was Phelps out front – barely – while Le Clos could only manage a fourth-place showing. After the fight, a tearful Szogedi said she was “gutted” and that training four years for so little time on the mat was devastating. “And if I did, every ounce that I had was left in the pool”. He owns the 200 fly world record, set in Rome in 2009, and the Olympic record, set in Beijing in 2008.
Phelps shared a laugh with his competition on the medals stand, then teared up during the national anthem.
“You see that she has flawless alignment”, Joyner said of Ledecky’s swimming form.
And Phelps wasn’t done for the night. She’s favored in the 800-meter freestyle event and will also swim as part of the gold medal favorite 4×200-meter freestyle relay team. Great Britain Siobhan-Marie O’Connor grabbed the silver medal in a new Great British record of 2:06.88.
United States’ Missy Franklin reacts after placing last in a women’s 200-meter freestyle semifinal during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “I can not wait to see what he will do the rest of the week”.
“I knew I was the big favourite. I was standing still”. He won twice [Tuesday night]. He holds the world and Olympic records in the event.
For Phelps, another retirement looms.
In semifinals Tuesday night, reigning Olympic champion Nathan Adrian entered the 100 freestyle as the slowest of 16 qualifiers.
In 2014, he announced he was returning to the sport.
“Just trying to hold it together”, she said.
That did not sit well with le Clos. “But I’m not there and I gave it my best”.
“The last 10 meters were not fun”, Phelps said. “Once I get going, it’s kind of hard to stop”. She has one more to go, the 800 meters, where she is virtually unchallenged.
Uh oh. When NBC ran a split screen picture of an inert Phelps in the waiting area while introducing the women competing in the 200-meter freestyle race, the fear was that the network was firing up the hype again. To her credit, and an example of her resolve, the Swede actually outsplit Ledecky by.03 on the third lap and by.05 on the finishing lap.
Ledecky had a shot to win the race that is, for her, the object that is different from all the others. “That was the closest I’ve ever come to throwing up in the middle of a race”. “I’m just so glad I got my hand on the wall first”.
“I’m excited, I’m feeling really good this week”.
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“I saw her at the 150 (meter) turn and after that I knew she was going to do something special”, Smith said.
