Phelps has now won the 200m individual medley at the last four Olympic Games, dating back to Athens in 2004.
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But Phelps was in a league of his own.
Now, she’s done with what she termed a “disappointing” Olympics that included: Her failing to qualify for both the 200 freestyle and 200 back finals; and her swimming with the 4×200 free relay in its preliminary heat, not the final.
“My first gold medal, at my first Olympics, is kind of a surprise to me”, Manuel told reporters.
His medal haul has now risen to 26, including two silvers and two bronzes, with the 100 butterfly final still to come on Friday.
Lochte, 32, was gracious as always but not his usual sunny self as he exited the pool deck at his fourth and perhaps final Olympics.
Fellow American Leah Smith, who herself has won a gold and a bronze in Rio so far, also qualified for the 800m free final, posting the fourth fastest time in prelims at 8.57 seconds behind Ledecky.
Oleksiak is the first athlete born after January 1 2000 to claim an Olympic gold medal in an individual event.
The win gave Phelps his 13th individual gold medal-an Olympic record that burnishes his title as the world’s most decorated Olympian. He’s going to transform me and my life into doing something from all of this. “That’s not true. I work just has hard as anybody else, and I love the sport, and I want to win just like everybody else”. Ryan Murphy won his second gold of these Olympics, in the 200-m backstroke: Americans have now won the event in six straight Olympics.
Lochte had hoped to swim five or six events in Rio but a groin injury at trials limited him to qualification in only the 200 IM.
Le Clos has also vowed to do all he can to take the fight to Michael Phelps one last time before the USA swimming great heads into retirement.
Phelps could also perform the so-called four-peat in the 100m butterfly here. Murphy finished in 1:53.62, a third of a second ahead of Australia’s Mitchell Larkin.
The U.S. once again has great a representation of backstrokers in Thursday’s finals for the 200-meter.
Phelps has planned on retiring after Rio to get married and to spend time with his baby boy, Boomer.
Rie Kaneto, of Japan, won the women’s 200-m breaststroke. He became the first swimmer to win the same event four consecutive times. “I’ve got a gold and two silvers”.
Coming into Thursday night, either Phelps or Lochte had won the 200m IM at 12 of the last 13 major worldwide meets.
The IM is one of swimming’s most interesting races to watch because different swimmers excel in different strokes. “I’m happy for him”, Lochte said.
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“I try not to think about the history”, said the American phenom after posting a Games record of eight minutes, 12.86 seconds.
