Michael Phelps finished the Rio Olympics, and nearly certainly his Olympic swimming career, fittingly, with one final gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay on Saturday night, having teamed up with fellow Americans Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller, and Nathan Adrian.
Advertisement
The collective medal was the United States’ 1,000th gold medal at the Summer Olympics as the country became the first nation in history to accomplish the feat.
This time, Phelps’ statement was more resolute, however.
It was the ninth consecutive win for the United States in the 4×100-meter medley, according to Team USA, which said that Phelps officially announced his retirement afterward, with chants of “Michael Phelps” coming from the stands. “He’s the reason I wanted to be a better swimmer”.
“I’m not going four more years, and I’m standing by that. I’m not swimming Masters, either, no offense to Masters”.
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”. The U.S.A. men’s swimming team wins another gold medal.
Paltrinieri threatened the world record set by China’s Sun Yang in winning Olympic gold in 2012.
Phelps has been vocal on how losing his 200m crown to Le Clos in 2012 was the reason he made a decision to come back in Rio.
Advertisement
With a total of five gold medals, one silver, and a remarkable comeback after having hard times, the Baltimore-born defeated his own professional climax achieved in Beijing 2008, when he won eight golds and broke Mark Spitz’s record. Murphy broke U.S.A.’s previous Olympic record, which gave him his third gold medal at Rio 2016.
