2012 OLYMPICS: PHELPS WINS RECORD 16TH OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 03 Aug 2012
Michael Phelps accomplished an even bigger triumph when he won his 16th Olympic gold medal in his incredible swimming career and the 20th total medal in thrilling fashion in the men's 200m individual medley.
Phelps was ahead since the start to win the gold in the 200 medley and edged off US teammate Ryan Lochte in the final freestyle stage to win with a time of 1:54.27, just 0.04 second slower than his existing Olympic record. Hungary's Laszlo Cseh took the bronze medal.
Phelps became the first male Olympian to win an event at three consecutive Games and it happened only 48 hours after the American swimming sensation won his 18th and 19th Olympic medals to become the most bemedalled Olympian in history, breaking the record of 18 by Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina.
?To be able to win the gold medal and be the first to three-peat is something very special and something I am very happy about,? said Phelps.
Phelps also has the potential to win the 100m butterfly gold for the third successive time when he won the semi-final in 50.86 and advance to the final as fastest qualifying swimmer.
US swimmers have won 11 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze for a total of 23 medals to lead in the swimming medal standings. China followed at second with 4-2-3, 9 total. France was third at 3-2-1, 6 total. South Africa won 2 gold medals at fourth place. Swimming powerhouse Australia was only fifth at 1-5-2, 8 total.
In their one-on-one rivalry for swimming supremacy, Lochte led in the individual medals won with 2 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze. Phelps was close second at 2-2-0 medal count. Lady US swimmer Allison Schmitt won 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal.
The US victories in swimming in the 6th day had them inching closer to China in the overall medals standings. China and USA were head-to-head in the overall medal supremacy with China having a slight lead of 18-11-5 gold-silver-bronze medal haul with 34 total medals. United States had 18-9-10, 37 total. US though had 3 more total medals than China. Third was South Korea, 7-2-5, 14 total. Fourth was France 6-4-6, 16 total. Fifth was host Great Britain 5-6-4, 15 total.
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