Michael Phelps brought the curtain down on his incredible swimming career with his 23rd Olympic gold medal – and his fifth of the Rio Games – as the United States beat Britain and Australia to win the men’s 4×100-meter medley relay on Saturday.
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Denmark’s Pernille Blume beat a field of world and Olympic champions to take gold in the women’s 50 freestyle and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri won the men’s 1500 freestyle after dominating nearly from the start.
The 31-year-old swimmer won five gold medals and one silver in Rio, which cements his title as the greatest swimmer of all time.
Murphy set the pace in the first leg of the men’s race, setting a new backstroke world record of 51.85 seconds, as Britain’s Chris Walker-Hebbon finished his stint in sixth.
Less than an hour before, its women’s 4×100 relay medley team made their country the first to win 1,000 gold medals at the Summer Olympics.
“It seems such a shame if this is the last time we see him race”. “I know there were a lot of questions coming in, but to see the US dominate the sport of swimming again, it’s great”, Sakovich said.
He assured fans Saturday that while he has had an unbelievable time in Rio, the race with Adrian, Miller and Murphy would end it all.
‘This is the way I wanted to finish my career, ‘ says Michael Phelps of the USA, who medalled for gold one last time in Rio de Janeiro. That’s it. I’m definitely a lot more emotional than I was in 2012 and I think that’s a good thing. “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”.
So what is next for Phelps?
“He’s a father figure to me”, Phelps said of Bowman, his coach since age 11 who he followed to Arizona when Bowman was named ASU’s swim and dive coach previous year.
And now that he’s officially – and permanently – retired from the sport, Phelps is looking forward to spending the majority of his time watching his son, Boomer, grow up.
Elsewhere in the bay, American Gevvie Stone won the silver medal in women’s single sculls. I don’t want to miss anything, ‘ he added. “This is it. I said before, but you guys can say, this is the last time”.
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The final two individual golds of the games went to Pernille Blume of Denmark in the 50 freestyle, her country’s first swimming victory since 1948, and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri in the grueling 1,500 free. I think down the road, I would love to be a pro swimmer. She took silver in the women’s 50 freestyle and then anchored as the US women won the 4×100 medley.
