He got misty-eyed on the medal podium as the national anthem played and the American flag rose up the flagpole.
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Being the 20th gold of his career only added to the satisfaction. Lochte and Phelps were half of the team that won the 4×200 meter freestyle relay Tuesday.
Phelps avenged his defeat at the 2012 London Games by winning the 200-meter butterfly on Tuesday night, holding off Japan’s Masato Sakai by a mere four-hundredths of a second. American Missy Franklin also qualified with the 12th-fastest time, 1:57.12.
The Associated Press doesn’t predict that to happen, but, hey, Hart High graduate Anthony Ervin was a relative unknown when he won his first gold medal as a 19-year-old in Sydney in 2000. Japan’s 22-year old Daiya Seto had his picture taken with Phelps in Japan 14 years ago.
Franklin’s tough year started before Rio.
Le Clos was in the final again, thoroughly inspired himself by his mother and father, both battling cancer and in the stands cheering him on.
For Phelps, the butterfly victory was especially sweet after the sting of the London defeat, where he misjudged his final lunge for the wall to let Le Clos steal the gold medal.
We’ve heard a lot about Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky in this opening week of the Rio Olympics. She still has the 200 backstroke to go and will likely be a member of the 4×200 free relay team.
Ledecky, who shattered her world record in the women’s 400m freestyle on Day 2, goes for the gold in the 200m freestyle at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. Simone Biles, three-time defending world champion in the all-around, will be making her Olympic debut when the USA women take their turn at 4:30 p.m., until 6 p.m.
Ledecky touched in 1:53.73.
France took the silver in 3:10.53, while Australia claimed the bronze in 3:11.37, holding off a Russian team that was booed during the introductions – a reminder of the drug scandal that has rocked the nation. World-record holder Federica Pelligrini of Italy was fourth.
“It really hurts”, Ledecky said after the race. “I’ll race my heart out”.
So far these Games, Ledecky is 2-for-2 in individual events. While at the Pan Pacific Championships some weeks later, she broke another record.
On a big night for the British team, Jazz Carlin won a silver medal behind Ledecky.
The swimmer also credits the formation received at Catholic schools with much of her success.
“I was so excited to get the call up today to be on this relay”, said DiRado.
“I knew Schmitty was going to throw down an awesome leg”, Smith said. “I don’t swim it for any other reason than just because Michael does”.
The Royal Netherlands Gymnastics Association says Van Gelder, a former world champion on the rings, left the athletes’ village on Saturday night and has admitted drinking alcohol before returning early Sunday.
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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.
