Reuters
Rio de Janeiro, August 13: Katie Ledecky of the United States smashed the world record in the 800m en route to a rare treble, but her brilliant feat faded out as Joseph Schooling created history for Singapore by winning the country’s first gold medal while stunning Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly here Friday.
Once the pupil, photographed as a boy alongside his childhood idol Phelps, the Singapore swimmer put in a masterful performance to deny the American a 23rd and final individual gold in a race that will also be long remembered for a three-way dead-heat for second.
Phelps, the defending champion and world record holder who is heading into retirement – again — after Rio, took silver along with two of his greatest rivals in a fitting finale before he bows out in Saturday’s 4×100 medley.
With South Africa’s Chad Le Clos the middle man, and Phelps and Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh flanking him on either side, they joined hands and stepped up together on to the podium.
Astonishingly, all three had touched out in 51.14 seconds, behind Schooling’s Olympic record 50.39s in the second dead-heat in a final in two days.
“I’m just ecstatic. I don’t think it has set in yet. It’s just crazy,” said Schooling, 21. “It’s been a hard road, I’ve done something that no one in our country has done before. I’ve received a lot of support and that’s phenomenal.”
Phelps, however, did not sound down. “I don’t know if I’ve (ever) been in a tie, so a three-way tie is pretty wild,” said Phelps. “It’s kind of special, and a decent way to finish my last individual race. Can’t complain too much,” added the legendary swimmer.
Ledecky meanwhile finally succumbed to her emotions on the podium after destroying the field in the 800 metres with a world record time of 8:4.79 seconds beating her own previous best of 8:06.68s. Britain’s Jazz Carlin won her second silver in 8:16.17s and Boglarka Kapas of Hungary took the bronze.
The only previous woman to win the 200m, 400m and 800 freestyle at the same Games was American Debbie Meyer in 1968.
“I have to wait another four years to have this moment and I just wanted to enjoy it all and put my very best swim out there,” Ledecky said after her final race at the Rio Acquatic Centre.
Ledecky, who cried during the post-race media conference, said she and coach Bruce Gemmell had also burst into tears after the win.
“Bruce doesn’t cry very often but it was a very happy moment and it’s been a pleasure to share this journey with him,” Ledecky told the media conference, and added that she would be setting ambitious goals for the next four years to deliver a better show at 2020 Tokyo.
Phelps won’t change his decision to retire
No means no. No amount of cajoling, arm-twisting and pleading by his teammates and swimming fans around the world will make Michael Phelps change his mind about retiring after the Rio Olympics.
The great American swimmer made that abundantly clear Friday after winning the 27th Olympic medal of his career, a three-way dead-heat silver in the men’s 100 metres butterfly.
“No,” he said as the question was still leaving the journalist’s lips, a succession of further ‘no’s following in close succession.
“Done. (South African co-silver medallist) Chad (Le Clos) asked me in the award area and the relay team chanting ‘four more years’.
“They did the same thing in London. The 800 free relay guys said four more years … No. I am NOT going four more years. And I’m standing by that.
“I’ve been able to do everything I’ve ever put my mind to in this sport. And 24 years in the sport. I’m happy with how things finished,” insisted the legendary swimmer.
Phelps had come out of retirement simply because ‘he could not retire on his own terms’ at London. That meant winning back the men’s 200m butterfly title that Le Clos took from him four years ago, and he declared ‘mission achieved’ on that last Wednesday.
He has won four golds and a silver here so far, taking his tally to 22 golds, and is not finished completely yet even if Friday was his last individual race. The 4×100 medley relay Saturday will be his final farewell.
“Being able to close the door on this sport how I want to, that’s why I’m happy now,” Phelps asserted. “I’m ready to retire. I’m happy about it. I’m in a better state of mind this time than I was four years ago. And yeah,I’m ready to spend some time with (baby son) Boomer and (fiancee) Nicole.”
