Share

Golden finale: Michael Phelps wins 23rd Olympic gold

Phelps also has more golds than 62 countries – including India, which has so far won nine golds in the modern Olympics and has 26 medals overall.

Advertisement

Phelps, who swam the third butterfly leg, ends the most successful Olympic career of all time with 23 golds, three silver and two bronze.

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, center, competes in a men’s 100-meter heat during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.

If that was the end, and Phelps insists it is, the numbers are simply astonishing.

“Getting off the bus and walking to the pool tonight, I pretty much felt myself starting to crack”, confessed Phelps.

He wouldn’t be for long.

It wasn’t in doubt after that.

The 31-year-old secured his fifth title of Rio 2016 as he teamed up with Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller and Nathan Adrian to set a new Games record of three minutes 27.95 seconds. “I’m just really proud to be part of this team with these guys”.

The men’s 4×100 victory came just minutes after the women’s medley relay gave the United States its 1,000th Olympic gold medal at the Summer Games.

Australia, represented by Mitchell Larkin, Jake Packard, David Morgan and Kyle Chalmers, took bronze in 3:29.93. “Italian people really wanted this gold and it was more hard than I expected”.

“I’m not going four more years and I’m standing by that”, he said.

Phelps bagged his 23rd gold medal by helping the United States to victory in the 4x100m medley relay – the last race of the competition at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The seven medals in 2016 are the most for in since winning 16 medals in 1972.

The country’s first medal dates back to 1896, when James Connolly won triple jump gold.

US swimmer Simone Manuel won her second gold medal Saturday night in the 4×100 meter relay, helping the American team win the race for the second straight race.

Connor Jaeger gave the USA another silver in the 1,500 free, leaving the American with 33 swimming medals in Rio – matching the highest total since the boycotted Los Angeles Games in 1984. He did not win any medal in his first Games in Sydney.

Pernille Blume of Denmark claimed a breakthrough victory in the women’s 50m freestyle, edging out 100m champion Manuel and Aliaksandra Herasimenia in a tight race as the 2012 victor, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, finished outside the medals. “I’ve been able to do everything I’ve ever put my mind to in the sport and after 24 years in the sport, I’m happy with how things finished”.

After her landmark victory in the 100 free, Manuel settled for silver this time in 24.09.

It was another huge disappointment for sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell of Australia.

Blume was the third Danish swimmer to capture a gold. Greta Andersen won the 100 free and Karen Margrethe Harup took the 100 backstroke at the 1948 London Olympics.

Advertisement

Paltrinieri, the 1500m gold medallist at last year’s world championships in Russian Federation, led from the outset and swam under world record pace for much of the race before easing off in the final laps. The victor, however, never seemed in doubt after world champion Paltrinieri took the lead at 150 meters and wore down the rest of the field to win by 4.91 seconds.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt center competes in a men's 100-meter heat during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro Brazil Saturday Aug. 13 2016