Michael Phelps breaks Leonidas of Rhodes’ 2,168-year Olympic record with 13th individual title at the Games
MICHAEL PHELPS didn't just win his 22nd Olympic gold medal last night – he also incredibly broke an Olympic record that stood for TWO THOUSAND years.
By winning the 200m metre individual medley, the swimmer won his 13th individual title at the Games, beating the record held by Leonidas of Rhodes set in the original Greek Games in 152 BC, a staggering 2,168 years ago.
Back in 152 BC, Leonidas won his last three events at the Games, in the races of around 200 and 400 metres, and in a SHIELD-CARRYING race.
Last night, the American great claimed his fourth gold in Rio, and more impressively surpassed Leonidas after storming clear in the second half of the 200m individual final.
Phelps finished almost two seconds clear of second placed Kosuke Hagino with Shun Wang in third.
His old foe Ryan Lochte finished in fifth place after a poor final leg while Britain's Dan Wallace came home in eighth.
Phelps became the third Olympian to win the same individual event at four straight Games, joining discus thrower Al Oerter and Carl Lewis in the long jump in achieving the feat
RELATED ARTICLES
Lurking in second until the end of the breaststroke third leg, he surged home on the closing freestyle lap to win in 1min 54.66sec.
That was almost two seconds in front of silver medallist Kosuke Hagino of Japan, the 400m individual medley champion who powered from fifth at the final wall to touch in 1:56.61.
China's Wang Shun was third in 1:57.05.
Lochte led at the halfway point, but the world record-holder in the event couldn't hang on and finished fifth.
Brazilian contender Thiago Pereira, buoyed by an ecstatic crowd, led after the opening butterfly lap and was equal second at the halfway point, but faded to finish seventh.
Phelps claimed his 22nd Olympic gold medal and his fourth at the Rio Olympics.
The most decorated Olympian of all time was back in the pool later on Thursday in the 100m butterfly semi-finals, and he finished second to make it through to yet another final.
