Remarkably, Phelps has won more than twice as many Olympic gold medals as the athlete second on the list, former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who has nine.
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Entering the arena like a gladiator, his face a granite mask of concentration, Phelps dominated a grudge final le Clos had billed as “Ali versus Frazier” to become the oldest individual swimming gold medallist in Olympic history at 31.
While Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly and the United States team took gold in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay, Katie Ledecky claimed her second title of the Games.
In the end, though, the man who is statistically the greatest Olympian of all time in terms of medals proved that he is the ultimate champion in winning his 20th gold medal as he reclaimed the title he won in Athens in 2004 and Beijing four years later.
Four years ago, Phelps mistimed his finish in the wind-milling stroke he does better than anyone, gliding to the wall a little too long after his final whirl of the arms.
He erased the bad memories from his loss in the same race in London to South African Chad le Clos.
The Americans led throughout, with Conor Dwyer handing over to Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte.
“This is a race that I really wanted”, Phelps said of his victory at Rio’s Olympic Aquatics Stadium on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Le Clos faded badly in the final 50m as Japan’s Masato Sakai and Hungary’s Kenderesi took the silver and bronze medals respectively.
“The 200 is a much more stressful race than the 400 and 800, and it always just feels good when it’s over”, she said.
Still, Phelps was not done, putting the finishing touch to an easy win in the 4x200m free, cruising home nearly two and a half seconds ahead of Britain’s James Guy in the swimming equivalent of baseball’s home-run trot around the bases. Great Britain finished second to claim silver, while Japan claimed bronze.
The American phenom, who won the 400m title with a stunning world record on day two, clocked 1:53.73 to win by 0.35 seconds from Sjostrom.
The Americans’ second straight Olympic triumph was never in doubt, their score of 184.897 at the Rio Games more than eight points clear of the field. Her clean and jerk lift also broke her world record by 1 kilogram. Maya DiRado of the United States held on for the bronze.
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Phelps has reduced his competition schedule in Rio as he focuses on butterfly and relay events. Tonight I came in the pool with a mission and the mission was accomplished.
