He clearly was saving energy for the big events Thursday night, but still had no trouble finishing fourth overall to solidify a spot.
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Michael Phelps, left, celebrates winning a semifinal of the men’s 200-meter individual medley ahead of second placed Ryan Lochte.
The other USA swimmers were Maya DiRado, who added a gold to go along with silver and bronze in the two individual medleys, and Leah Smith, who picked up her second medal of the games after earning bronze in the 400 free.
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all-time, but he must share that title with someone else. Canada’s final time was 7:45.39. ‘Being able to share that one moment that I had with him was definitely something very special’. “But I’d like to have those extra seven, eight minutes in between”.
Longtime rival Ryan Lochte recorded the top preliminary time in the event. “Hopefully I can keep it rolling one last time”.
“I think my emotions are so high right now that I just want to soak that in and figure out the rest later”.
Joseph Schooling of Singapore topped the 100 fly heats in 51.41. He’ll be joined by American teammate Tom Shields, who finished third in the heats.
Katie Ledecky set a new Olympic record on Thursday in qualifying for the women’s 800-meter freestyle final.
Her closest rival, Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas, was almost seven seconds slower in 8:19.43 with Britain’s Jazz Carlin third in 8:19.67.
Le Clos was in the lane next to Phelps on Tuesday night, one of five swimmers in the race who had at one time or another claimed Phelps as their childhood hero. Two years ago, Russian Federation annexed his home of Crimea and he rejected changing nationality. Helped by funding from Ukraine’s meager sports budget, Hovorov is in position to win swimming’s glamour event. Then again, Lochte said that in 2012.
“I don’t know if it was, like, afraid of just letting go and showing who I am or what it was”.
Nathan Adrian has said, many times over the past year, that the world is getting faster. Ervin, the 2000 Olympic champion in the 50, was clocked in 21.63. China is in second place with 23 medals (10 gold).
Katinka Hosszu of Hungary qualified fastest for the 200 backstroke in 2:06.09.
Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took the silver medal, with Maya DiRado of the United States winning bronze.
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Mireia Belmonte Garcia gave Spain its first gold medal of the Olympics after she won the women’s 200 meter butterfly.
