AFP
Rio de Janeiro, August 16: Michael Phelps acknowledged Monday a ‘small part’ in his own dramatic Olympic defeat by Singapore hero Joseph Schooling but said he had no grudge.
Phelps spent most of the Olympic swimming contest beating swimmers he had inspired into the pool. But Schooling, who was photographed with Phelps as a 13-year-old, stepped out of line in the 100m butterfly, spoiling the US legend’s all-win record in Rio.
“It’s incredible,” Phelps said Monday in his last media conference here, of falling to a swimmer 10 years his junior, who unabashedly points to the American great as his inspiration and role model.
“I would have liked to have won. But being able to watch Joe and being able to watch what he’s done over the last couple of years and to think that I was a little small part of his inspiration, it means a lot. It’s special, because it shows that I have been able to change the sport a little bit and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” added the legendary swimmer.
Two days after wrapping up his fifth and final Olympics, Phelps said he couldn’t have asked for a better legacy. The American had a chance to see Schooling’s progress over the years, as the Singapore swimmer trained and competed in the United States first at the Bolles School in Florida and now at the University of Texas.
After Schooling clocked 50.39s to edge Phelps, South African Chad le Clos and Hungarian Laszlo Cseh, the American said Schooling ‘swam a hell of a race’ adding that he was ‘excited just to see how much faster he (Schooling) goes’.
Phelps also reflected on his swimming legacy after winning 23 gold medals over five Olympics. “I sat with my fiancee the other night and we were just talking about it, and we were both just in tears, because it’s a dream come true,” stated Phelps with emotions once more choking his voice.