He is now headed to an epic last chapter alongside Ryan Lochte in their long-running rivalry – both booked semi-final berths in the men’s 200m individual medley in Rio on Wednesday.
Advertisement
Lochte finished half a second behind him with Brazil’s Thiago Perreira third in 1:57.11.
Phelps has won the event at the past three Olympics, while Lochte has twice finished second in the event.
Lochte, 32, thought Rio might finally be the Games when it was “my turn” to shine in the spotlight Phelps has monopolized since 2004.
The races are beginning to mount for the 31-year-old Phelps, who will swim three times on Thursday assuming he qualifies for the 200 IM final. But after scraping into the semi-finals in 16th place on Tuesday he turned it up in the semis and led the way into Wednesday night’s marquee final. “We’ve been racing for the last 12 years and having one more battle tomorrow”. Lochte raced to 1:56.28. “We’ll have one more time to hop in the pool and duke it out”. Phelps and Lochte are at once teammates and opponents, friends and rivals.
On Monday, Phelps glowered from beneath his hoodie just before the semifinal round of the 200-meter butterfly event, while le Clos danced a jig and punched the air around him – a warmup routine clearly pointed at his one-time hero.
“The history him and I have had with one another, it’s something special and something I’ve never had in another competitor of mine”, Phelps said.
Phelps has now amassed a record-setting 25 Olympic medals. “For me, he brings the best out of me”.
Phelps will be seeking his fourth straight 200 IM title at the Olympics.
It hurt so much that Phelps made it his mission to exact revenge in Rio and win it one last time.
Advertisement
Cate Campbell posted the fastest time in the semifinals, an Olympic-record 52.71 seconds and younger sister Bronte was fifth-fastest at 53.29. “If that’s good enough to win, we’ll see”.
