United States’ Michael Phelps reacts after the men’s 100-meter butterfly final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Michael Phelps put a golden bow on his Olympic career with one last victory Saturday night in the 4×100-meter medley.
Phelps swam the butterfly third leg of a tight race, pushing the USA from second behind Great Britain up to first before freestyle specialist Nathan Adrian saw it home for gold in an Olympic record time of three minutes 27.95 seconds.
Overall, the US has 2,453 total medals, including 769 silver and 684 bronze.
Phelps, meanwhile, bowed out with 28 Olympic medals to his name.
Of the 1,000 gold medals, more than half have come from the combined efforts of competitors in track and field (323) and swimming (246) events, the USOC added.
Katie Ledecky, the 19-year-old sensation who won four gold medals at these Games, posed for a photograph with Phelps and got his autograph when she was 9.
Overall, the Americans won in an Olympic-record time of 3:27.95.
Australia’s team comprised Emily Seebohm, Taylor McKeown, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell while Mie Nielsen, Rikke Moller Pedersen, Jeanette Ottesen and Pernille Bloom represented Denmark.
In a departure from Games past, Phelps’ fifth Olympics offered a glimpse not only of a sporting great relentless in pursuit of success but also of a man buoyed by warm family relationships heading purposefully into his post-swimming life.
Her time fell just short of the Olympic record of 24.05 seconds set by Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo at the London 2012 Games.
Then he dived in and did what Michael Phelps does, helping the United States to gold in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays, avenging his 2012 200m fly loss to le Clos and notching his fourth straight 200m individual medley title. Still, he won comfortably in 14 minutes, 34.57 seconds. “Last time putting on a suit, last time walking out in front of thousands of people representing my country”.
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Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy won gold, and Gabriele Detti, also of Italy claimed bronze.
