Without a doubt, 19-year-old swimming sensation Katie Ledecky has been one of biggest storylines to emerge from the Rio Olympics.
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No question, he’s No. 1.
The most medalled Olympian of all time, now with an unprecedented collection of 25, tore his swim cap in half as he was putting it on just before the start of the day’s final 4×200 metres freestyle relay.
Ledecky’s medal haul is now up to three gold and one silver in four races so far. “Hopefully I can keep it rolling one more time”. “He and I have been racing each other since 2004”. Phelps came out ahead of Japan’s Masato Sakai by just four-hundredths of a second. They won the finals with a time of 7:43:03. “My gosh, I thought I was standing still”.
Still as a gathering storm. And while it is unreasonable to think Ledecky can maintain her 400-meter pace for twice the distance, that seven-second cushion could be enough to get her under eight minutes. He competed in the stadion (a track event similar to the 200-meter sprint), the diaulos (described as twice as long as the stadion, or about 400 meters), and the hoplite.
Ledecky will next swim Thursday afternoon in her 800 free preliminary heat.
Katie Ledecky’s family have released a throwback photo of her alongside her idol Michael Phelps when she was just a nine-year-old swimming hopeful. “Everything hurt at the end, but I am happy that it hurt as it meant I pushed myself to the max”. Ledecky has three golds and a relay silver and her best event, the 800-meter freestyle, is up next. Emma McKeon of Australia won the bronze medal.
Boudia took his medal to Rio because he wanted to show it off in children’s hospital in Rio, but said he usually has it locked away.
Nearly everyone finishes behind the United States in the men’s 800 freestyle relay.
Since 1960, the Americans have won the event 12 times, finishing third in Barcelona and second to Australia in 2000.
Japan’s Natsumi Hoshi claimed the bronze, beating out Cammile Adams of the United States. He won his 21st gold medal a little while later, as a member of the US 800-meter freestyle relay team, along with Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte.
“And if I did, every ounce that I had was left in the pool”.
He was the last competitor to leave the pool deck.
Rowing, cancelled for two days due to high winds, will hand out six golds and the king of spin will be crowned in the men’s table tennis singles.
Then there was the laughter – evidently prompted by something Phelps saw in the stands – and, more unlike anything we’ve seen in his previous Summer Olympics, there was Phelps interrupting the victory walk he was taking with his rivals to climb the stairs of the photographers’ station, where he reached his family and gave his infant son, Boomer, a kiss on the cheek.
After taking his haul of Olympic gold to an all-time record 21 medals, USA swimmer Michael Phelps returns to the pool on Wednesday in search of further booty. Together, they own the top 10 fastest times in history in a race that tests swimmers’ versatility, strength and speed.
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Phelps essentially spent the next 100 seconds or so on a victory lap, the crowd’s cheers growing louder with each stroke.
