It was Leah Smiths’ first gold medal of the games, and her second as she won a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.
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He won the gold in 2004 and 2008 (when his goggles filled and he could not see), then finished second in 2012.
Other finals Wednesday night are the women’s 200m butterfly, the men’s 200m breaststroke and the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay – with Katie Ledecky going for a third gold to go with her 200m and 400m free individual triumphs.
“It’s such a great honour to be a part of a US relay team”, said Ledecky, still only 19 but the outstanding female swimmer on the US team.
There was little time to savor the moment, however, as he raced back off the pool deck to get ready for the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly, which he also has the chance to win for a fourth successive Games. “And I think we kind of feed off each other in that way”.
The Barcelona Games were the last time the United States lost a men’s final in those events. It got me so ready to go. “Being able to share that one moment that I had with him, [that was] definitely something that was very special”.
With the victory, Schmitt, already the most decorated Olympian in UGA’s history, tied with Teresa Edwards for the most Gold medals won by a UGA athlete, according to UGA Swim & Dive.
The 19-year-old American is the heavy favorite to win the grueling race, which would give her a sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyles for the first time since Debbie Meyers of the U.S.in 1968. The article detailed a phone call that Michael had with his manager (or trainer), where he talked about being completely overwhelmed with life, the demands on his life, and the pressures that come with being Michael Phelps. But he did cruise through the semifinals of the 200 individual medley with the fastest time, besting longtime rival and countryman Ryan Lochte.
Phelps came away with the victory, clocking one minute, 55.78 seconds to post the fastest time across both semifinals.
The Brazilians have a stake in the 200 IM, too.
In his absence, le Clos had a strong meet, saying after the 100 butterfly, “I just did a time that he hasn’t done in four years”.
“It was a dream to be on a United States relay and to win gold”.
This is the fourth Gold medal she has won, eighth Olympic medal in her career.
In London, Missy Franklin counted the 4×200 freestyle relay as one of her four gold medals in her five-medal haul.
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An hour passed when Phelps added the 21st gold to his collection by helping team US win the 4×200 freestyle relay together with Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte, who swam the first three legs and let him finish the event.
