Michael Phelps Sets Olympic Record With 19th Medal - East Idaho News
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Michael Phelps Sets Olympic Record With 19th Medal

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7 31 12%20Phelps?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1343773081049CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/GettyImages(LONDON) — U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps broke the record Tuesday for most career Olympic medals, with his 19th.

After the United States won its first Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics since the 1996 Games in Atlanta, the greatest drama of the day moved to the pool, where South Africa’s Chad le Clos defeated the 27-year-old Phelps in the men’s 200-meter butterfly.

Phelps appeared poised throughout that race to pick up his 15th career gold medal and become the first swimmer to win a gold medal in a singles event in three consecutive Olympics, but le Clos took advantage of a late miscue by Phelps.

Upon realizing his defeat, Phelps, who had yet to win a gold medal in London, slapped the water and tossed his cap in disgust. But he was all smiles less than an hour later, when the U.S. relay team’s dominating performance made him the most decorated Olympian of all time. His split was the fastest of the team, at 1:44:05, just over a second faster than Ryan Lochte’s time, which gave the Americans a solid lead from the beginning.

Phelps surpassed Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, whose 18 medals, 9 of them gold, made her the winningest Olympic athlete for 48 years. Swimmer Mark Spitz held the American record before Phelps with 11 medals, just one more than track star Carl Lewis.

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