“Every emotion hit me at once so I was just kind of a train wreck”, Biles said afterward.
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Phelps went on to win not one but six gold medals, and two bronze, at the Athens Olympics, and the 31-year-old’s career has only continued to skyrocket since then.
An Olympics commentator working for Canadian broadcaster CBC suffered embarrassment on Thursday night when he confused Michael Phelps for rival Ryan Lochte. A longtime US teammate, friend and close rival with Phelps, Lochte believes the 26-time Olympic medalist won’t be able to stay away from the next Summer Olympic Games in 2020.
Interestingly, Phelps’s mother, Debbie, also told the Today Show that there was seemingly a chance of Phelps making another run at Olympic gold.
It was Phelps won his 22nd Olympic gold and in the fourth consecutive 200m individual medley title in 1:54.66 seconds.
Even if Phelps doesn’t return for Tokyo, he will still compete in the men’s 100-meter butterfly finals on Friday – which probably means one more gold medal for good measure…
“You know what, I can definitely say that, because I guarantee he will be there, ” he told Lauer.
Despite winning four golds in London in 2012, Phelps has said he was dissatisfied with his preparation and results there and wanted to bow out on his own terms at Rio 2016.
“Michael, I’ll see you in Tokyo”.
“I really think so”.
Thiago Pereira of Brazil turned first at the 50-meter mark followed closely by both Phelps and Lochte. “I’ve been able to come back and accomplish things that I just dreamed of”.
The other two medalists in Thursday’s 200-meter medley were Kosuke Hagino from Japan, who won silver, and Wang Shun of China, who took the bronze.
Bob Bowman, Phelps’ longtime coach, shot down talk that Phelps could make it back 2020 Tokyo Games.
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Michael Phelps has said he has become more outspoken at the Rio Olympics as he embraces his role as a mentor to younger team-mates.
