Ryan Murphy completed a backstroke double and extended a USA winning streak, adding the men’s 200 gold to the 100 title he won earlier in the week.
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Fittingly, Lochte, the most persistent antagonist in Phelps’ Olympic biography, stood in his way.
First, let me say we all make mistakes. “I only have to put a racing suit on two more times and I only have to warm down one more time”.
World record holder Rikke Moller Pedersen of Denmark was last, 3.44 seconds behind Kaneto.
Phelps said an encouraging message from former University of Miami and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis gave him a second wind.
Manuel became the first American woman to win the 100m free since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which was also a tie – between compatriots Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer.
Phelps feels no such animus toward Lochte.
The 100 fly and, presumably, the medley relay are yet to come.
That’s not unusual. Lochte is one of the few swimmers who can crack Phelps’ steely prerace focus.
Meanwhile, it is really Phelps pulling away.
And then they swam away from the rest of the field, neck and neck from start to finish.
Who but Michael Phelps could possibly appreciate the greatness – and it is greatness – of Ryan Lochte, and how the two of them have made each other better?
The most decorated Olympian of all time was back in the pool later on Thursday in the 100m butterfly semi-finals. American swimmers have won it in six consecutive Olympics. If from the overhead TV camera, swimming seems to be all arms, that’s a mirage; it’s mostly the legs.
“I think it took about five minutes to set in”, she said.
“My body definitely doesn’t feel like an 18-year-old”.
American Ryan Murphy completed a Rio double after bullying world champion Mitchell Larkin in the men’s 200m backstroke, winning in 1:53.62 to underline his country’s dominance of the event.
Friedman, either suffering from an epic mix-up or performing an all-time troll job, called the entire race for the CBC confusing Phelps’ lane for Lochte’s. Phelps was in lane 4 while Lochte was below him in lane 5. It’s the story of their careers in microcosm.
Because this is Phelps’s final Olympics – at least, what he says is his final Olympics – it was appropriate that two young athletes (Murphy and Manuel are both just 20) who might take his efforts to expand swimming forward won races when he did.
What Michael Phelps did on Thursday night will not go down as his most exciting or most memorable accomplishment. Hagino was the next fastest in history, a 1:55.07 that was pertinent Thursday night not because of the number, which Phelps and Lochte would have spit at in their primes, but because it came this year.
All week, the Brazilian fans have greeted their hometown favorites with songs, whistles and waving flags. Wouldn’t it be bloody fitting if swimming’s GOAT finished up on 23 gold medals.
Phelps was in a league of his own.
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“It’s exciting”, he said. That’s something when I do retire I will miss.
