While the spotlight was on the 31-year-old, who retired after the 2012 London Games before returning for one last hurrah, the U.S. women’s 4x100m medley relayers captured their country’s 1,000th Olympic medal.
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His shot at a 28th medal comes Saturday in the final slate of swimming at the Rio de Janeiro Games, where Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, made his first appearance at the Olympic Stadium.
At 31 years old, it’s undeniable that he hit a career peak at the Beijing Games eight years ago, and Phelps himself admitted that he wasn’t sure how successful he’d be at defending his Olympic titles until he took home a familiar gold medal in the 200m butterfly.
Of his achievements, Phelps said on Saturday, “I’ve been able to do everything I ever put my mind to in the sport”, adding that, “Just being able to finish this way is special because now I’m able to start the next chapter in my life”. “I don’t know what to believe, whether I actually did it or I’m still preparing my race”.
Elaine Thompson ended the reign of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with a women’s 100m victory of 10.71sec which torpedoed her fellow Jamaican’s hopes of an Olympic hat-trick in the event. DiRado has already won one each of gold, silver and bronze in Rio.
“Done, done, done – and this time I mean it. That’s something I’m really, really looking forward to, just watching him grow up”.
Even though he won’t be competing anymore, Phelps said he will continue to support his teammates. “And this was the cherry on top of the cake that I wanted”.
Michael Phelps is said to have surpassed the deeds of Leonidas of Rhodes at the ancient Olympics and the American’s coach believes we will never see his likes again.
Boomer was born on May 5, 2016, and Phelps plans on being by his son’s side every step of the way, something Phelps didn’t experience with his own father, Fred, growing up. “So I think that’s why I will still incorporate swimming in part of my weekly routine, just because it’s calming and soothing for me”, he said. “I am not coming back in four years”. After all, he said the same thing after the 2012 London Games.
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“I was so much more emotional during these games. because I knew this was the last time”, he said. “Italian people really wanted this gold and it was more hard than I expected”.
