Meanwhile her United States of America teammate, Michael Phelps, further cemented his legacy as the greatest Olympian of all time, capturing his 23rd gold medal.
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Michael Phelps, arguably the greatest Olympian of all time, confirmed he has swum his last race in an interview with NBC on Monday in Rio de Janeiro.
“I was so much more emotional during these games. because I knew this was the last time”, he said.
“I think I could take her in a 400”.
It’s safe to say American Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel has become the breakout star in Rio. And I was thinking: “my last warm-up, my last warm-down, my last time putting on a suit, my last cold tub – I did all that”.
“He might be there, but I won’t”, Phelps said with a smile. “I have a feeling it’s not”. That brought his career Olympic total to a record 23 golds, and 28 medals overall.
Following his six-medal performance at the games, Phelps said that he had wanted to return on his own terms to finish things differently.
He may have been the chiseled veteran of the games – 31-years-old with a long history of Olympic and global competitions under his swim trunks – but he proved he still had it: he won five gold medals in Rio and added a silver medal from the Mens’ 100m butterfly. “I’ll be there watching, cheering everybody on, but I will not be in the pool competing”. “I won’t be in the pool”. “What do you want to do as a 31-year-old laving swimming behind you, with a long life ahead of you?” asked Lauer.
As previously reported, Phelps’ teammate Ryan Lochte told Lauer last week that Phelps wasn’t ready to retire just yet.
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Phelps glared at Ledecky, lowered his head and laughed.
