“It’s been better than any money I’ve spent on anything else”.
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About an hour later, Phelps was back in the water again, anchoring the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay in a race that was far from close, with the USA team – Conor Dwyer; Townley Haas; Ryan Lochte; and Phelps – shaving 6 seconds off their qualifying time to finish at 7:00.66 – just 2 seconds off the world record.
With the three Longhorns competing on the relay, it marked the eighth consecutive Olympics in which at least one Texas men’s swimmer represented the United States in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Phelps though has a realistic chance of going ahead of India as he is still to participate in two categories at Rio, starting with Wednesday’s 200m individual medley, followed by Thursday’s 100m butterfly. “It’s remarkable. You know, given not just his age but everything that’s transpired since London and before London and the whole totality of that”. Did the sport have a future?
“That’s where I hurt the most”, he said of the marks on his shoulder.
“Now I’m looking forward to rest of the week – I am not even halfway done yet”, he said.
“I was pumped”, Ledecky said. It was clear it wanted to talk, for somebody to listen. “I was doing the math and there is maximum of seven races left so we have got our work cut out the next couple of days”.
As he looked up at a boisterous crowd, triumphant for the 20th time in his unmatched Olympic career, Michael Phelps raised his hands and flicked them in his direction as if to say: “Bring on the world”. “I came into the pool tonight with a mission and the mission was accomplished”. Le Clos, who clocked 1:52.96 for gold in 2012, could only manage a 1:54.06.
“Just being able to see the number one next to my name again, one more time in the 200 fly, I couldn’t have scripted it any better”, he said.
Till Tuesday, the Rio Olympics were still fun and games.
The calm before the storm as Phelps, here donning the cap of sponsor MP, waits for the start of the 200m relay. No missing it. Anybody could immediately sense this was special. The American, perhaps, was more stung than stunned. People believe he is from Mars, and that’s why perhaps astro-physicists are certain there’s source of water on the planet. Phelps came back later the same day with a faster swim.
On Tuesday night, in one of the most anticipated swim races of these Rio Olympics, Phelps and le Clos duked it out in a final le Clos predicted last summer would be “Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier”.
“The kid has got talent”. “This is a race I really wanted back”.
It can be performed different ways and help to treat sore muscles, back problems, and other general aches.
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He cruised to victory leaving Le Clos training behind in fourth place. And when they went, Phelps was gone. “It’s just insane. It’s mind-blowing”.
