Phelps became the first swimmer to win a single event in four consecutive Olympics with his victory in the 200-meter individual medley.
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The superstar American, in what is expected to be his last final against countryman Lochte, surged to victory by two seconds on Thursday. Lochte finished an equally stunning fifth.
Lochte, who now holds the top two times in history of the 200-meter individual medley, trailed Phelps to the wall in his signature butterfly leg but pulled ahead after backstroke, leaving just 0.01 seconds between them.
Phelps clocked one minute, 54.66 for a comfortable winning margin of 1.95 seconds.
His gold also marks the first time a swimmer earned at least three gold medals in four different Olympic Games.
And yet it’s Lochte who holds the world record in the event, set back at the world championships in 2011.
“It’s insane to think about but It’s also really cool because I’ve been able to do everything that I ever wanted”, he added.
In doing so, Phelps claimed his record 22nd gold medal and 26th Olympic medal overall.
Phelps has two events left in the final swimming competition of 100-meter butterfly, Friday, and medley relay on Saturday.
Often swimming neck and neck all the way to the finish in events, Lochte and Phelps reserve their friendship for land but maintain a fierce rivalry in the water. However, Phelps has said that Rio 2016 will be his last Olympics. 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. He finished with a time of 1 minute, 53.62 seconds to continue the United States’ remarkable 20-year dominance of the event.
Lochte is stepping out of the swimming spotlight after this summer’s Olympic games to take a break from the sport, his mother said.
As striking as the performances were, it takes something colossal to knock Phelps from Mount Olympus, where he continues to swim like the gods. Lochte, meanwhile, would probably have a gold medal of his own in the 200-meter individual medley if it wasn’t for Phelps.
“I mean, it’s Michael”, Lochte said. They’re both racers who bring out the best in each other.
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The Russian, whose participation has provoked open hostility from rival swimmers, was a distant second with China’s Shi Jinglin third.
