Swimmer Phelps wins 22nd Olympic gold

Billed as a second duel in the pool, this time between him and United States teammate Ryan Lochte, it ended as a one-sided contest with Phelps in a class of his own.

“I was sacked up”, said Phelps.

Chances are there won’t be much of that on Thursday night – at least not until after their long-time battle comes to a close, if Phelps performs at the superstar level that he and his many fans the world over anticipate. That event was my bread and butter and that is the last time I will swim at a Games.

Limitless and free. You saw it Thursday.

But it was the race that the superstars did, and I figured I could try it. It was the ideal fit: The coaching staff convinced me (rightfully so, in most cases) that IMs are designed for breaststrokers, as I already was.

Micheal Phelps will be competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Lochte and Michael Phelps are friends.

He could also win his fourth successive gold in the 100m butterfly after qualifying for Saturday’s final shortly after his 200m medley victory.

“If he can hang on for another year I would appreciate it so much”, he said.

Phelps has now won his 13th individual gold medal with last night’s win.

Murphy became the third American man in the last five Olympics to take both races. “I have been able to come back and been able to accomplish things I just dreamt of”, adding a moment later, “This has been a very, very special week so far – for me closing out my career”. It was so intense. Lochte is Patrick Ewing to Phelps’ Michael Jordan.

On Thursday night, they’ll be competing against each other in the 200-meter individual medley final during the night session in Rio, with one more Olympic gold on the line. “The crowd went insane”.

In a race billed as one last showdown against longtime rival Ryan Lochte, Phelps demolished him and the rest of the field to win by almost two seconds.

Japan’s 400 IM champion Kosuke Hagino won silver and Wang Shun of China took bronze, both moving dramatically through the field on the final length after turning in fifth and seventh place. Lochte, still fighting off his third turn, touched fifth – 2.81 seconds off Phelps’ time.

Presently, Micheal Phelps is the highest record holder with 22 gold medals and 26 medals in total. The only goal he didn’t accomplish was breaking the world record, set in 2011 by Lochte.

“It’s hard finding different ways to make it fun again”.

“Doing the hundred back and having a good time in that helped me to realize that I could do better in the 200 back than I did at trials. Just a break mentally and physically”, Lochte said after the race.

The swimming world championships will be held next year in Budapest but Phelps has indicated clearly that Rio really is going to be his swansong. Lochte may never be the Michael Phelps of swimming, but he will always be the Ryan Lochte of being Ryan Lochte.

Lochte said, “He has separated himself from everyone, not just in swimming but in all Olympic sports”.