You want truly unpredictable when it comes to Michael Phelps?
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“I can’t say this (Olympics is over)”. Earlier Friday, fellow American swimmer Ryan Lochte said he believed Phelps would compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which Phelps politely contradicted. “I am not coming back in four years”.
Between them, Lochte and Phelps have won the 200 I.M.at 13 of the last 14 major worldwide meets, while Phelps has taken gold in the event in the past four Olympics. However, when they got into the breaststroke, Phelps began to pull away from the pack and Lochte fell back more than a second.
Lochte told reporters that his performance Thursday would be among those he most regretted.
Those little tiny things I’ve been saying to Bob every day. “I’m enjoying it”, – Phelps said after yet another gold medal.
“It’s going to take a ideal performance in order to beat him just because of how tough a competitor he is”, Lochte said.
Phelps leads all Olympic medalists with 26 total medals (22 gold) ahead of Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina, who has 18 total medals. The bronze went to Canada’s Hilary Caldwell.
But like most legends, Phelps didn’t start out this way. “And one of the toughest too”.
A rather confused Elliotte Friedman “got my lanes mixed up” and covered the entire race hailing it as a historic win for Lochte.
For now he just needs a break.
Speaking after the semifinals of the 100m butterfly this morning, he didn’t appear to know if he was down to swim the event which Team South Africa has consistently said it sees as being a genuine medal prospect.
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The 31-year-old American had to storm home in the second length having turned in last place at the 50m mark. “I wanted to be like him as a kid”, Schooling told reporters.
