While Phelps became one of only three athletes to have won titles in the same individual event at four straight Games, Chen tested positive for a diuretic, the Chinese Swimming Association told state media. “This medal is not just for me but for the African-Americans who came before me, like Maritza [Correia] and Cullen Jones”. “It’s for a whole bunch of people that came before me and have been an inspiration to me”. “Who knows, I might be back”.
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And in 2016, I felt exactly the same way I always have – captivated by the hype and the unbelievable race that unfolded. “He’s just an awesome athlete, an wonderful citizen, who has set the bar for athletes all around”.
Manuel, 20, was runner-up at the USA trials to Cal-bound Abbey Weitzel and gave no indication she had a breakout performance in her. Coach Dave Marsh didn’t even include the Cardinal junior in the final of the 400 relay last weekend, relegating her to the morning preliminaries. She spoke after the race about trying to defy expectations even as she attempted to make history.
“The 100-meter backstroke is actually the one that comes more naturally for me so that’s the one I was really gunning for. And that’s not true”.
This was touted as the last showdown between two of America’s greatest swimmers, though there’s never been any question about which one had the upper hand. She recalled struggling to process the significance in an interview last month at Stanford.
The penny finally dropped when Phelps started celebrating upon finishing the race, at which point the sheepish Elliotte admitted his mistake. “We mixed the lanes up, I did as well”.
A 12-time Olympic medalist, Lochte had settled for two silvers and a bronze behind Phelps at the last three Olympics in this event. Berkeley teammate Jacob Pebley finished in fifth place.
“Doing the hundred back and having a good time in that helped me to realize that I could do better in the 200 back than I did at trials”. “That’s the one I wanted really bad”.
“Finally he’s going to do it – Ryan Lochte is going to beat Michael Phelps”. He finished a full body length ahead of the field with total dominance on the breaststroke and freestyle legs, touching in 1 minute, 54.66 seconds.
Leading at the midway point, Lochte faded to fifth – almost 3 seconds behind the victor.
Phelps, 31, is now four-for-four in his fifth Olympics.
The doting father might need more fingers.
Phelps was back in the water 38 minutes later to swim in the 100-meter butterfly semifinals. “The 200 back is an event I really have to dig deep for, so this one means a little bit more to me”.
Thursday’s victory was Phelps’ 22nd Olympic gold medal as he continues to extend his record as the most successful Olympian of all time.
Four years ago in London, Phelps talked about getting away from the pool to explore new avenues.
Cracks had first appeared after he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.
“I thought about it the last 50 and that’s what got me home”, he said.
A few months later it all unraveled with the DUI.
The transformation began in the fall of 2014 at a treatment center near Phoenix.
Lochte said he would need to swim a flawless race to beat Phelps this time. He joined his long-time coach at Arizona State, where Bowman runs the Sun Devils program.
However, Canadian TV network CBC managed to get his lane and Ryan Lochte’s – the other American swimmer competing – mixed up.
“The biggest thing for me through the meet so far is I’ve been able to finish how I wanted to”.
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Efimova was 1.67 seconds behind, leaving the Russian with another silver medal.
