Phelps recaptures glory days again
Source: Agencies |
August 4, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
COMPETITIVE fires that appeared to be flickering and fading, burst into glorious flame on Thursday when Michael Phelps finally won his first individual gold medal of the London Olympics.
Phelps convincingly defeated fellow-American Ryan Lochte, the pretender to his 200m individual medley title, leading all the way. He also became the first man to win three consecutive Olympic titles, joining Australia's Dawn Fraser and Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi.
"It's just cool to add it to the resume, the first guy to do it," he said. "I'm happy to get my first individual gold."
As the competition has unfolded over the first week of the Games, Phelps has appeared a frustrated and, on occasion, a desolate figure, in particular when he lost the 200m butterfly gold by a touch to South African Chad le Clos.
Lochte, who said he believed his time had finally come after he trounced Phelps in the 400 individual medley, took defeat graciously and said he would miss his great rival. He also made no mention of the fact that he had swum in the 200m backstroke final half an hour earlier, while Phelps' other race of the session came after the medley final. "He is the toughest racer I have ever had to deal with," Lochte, the silver medallist said. "The rivalry we have created has been awesome for our sport. I'm going to miss racing him."
Third-placed Hungarian Laszlo Cseh joined in the tributes.
"It will not be the same," he said. "He was the swimmer I always wanted to beat."
A hint that Phelps, who has two more opportunities to add to his record 20 medals, might not be fully focused on his final Games came this year when he said London was "just about what size cherry I want to put on my sundae".
Defeat to Lochte last Saturday strengthened the impression that the Games might become a valedictory final lap for the man who won a record eight golds four years ago in Beijing.
Lochte, frustrated with his status as a perennial runner-up, has dedicated himself to a punishing training program with a view to defeating Phelps in London. Phelps responded to the challenge by increasing his workload and announcing he would drop one race from his Olympic schedule.
Phelps convincingly defeated fellow-American Ryan Lochte, the pretender to his 200m individual medley title, leading all the way. He also became the first man to win three consecutive Olympic titles, joining Australia's Dawn Fraser and Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi.
"It's just cool to add it to the resume, the first guy to do it," he said. "I'm happy to get my first individual gold."
As the competition has unfolded over the first week of the Games, Phelps has appeared a frustrated and, on occasion, a desolate figure, in particular when he lost the 200m butterfly gold by a touch to South African Chad le Clos.
Lochte, who said he believed his time had finally come after he trounced Phelps in the 400 individual medley, took defeat graciously and said he would miss his great rival. He also made no mention of the fact that he had swum in the 200m backstroke final half an hour earlier, while Phelps' other race of the session came after the medley final. "He is the toughest racer I have ever had to deal with," Lochte, the silver medallist said. "The rivalry we have created has been awesome for our sport. I'm going to miss racing him."
Third-placed Hungarian Laszlo Cseh joined in the tributes.
"It will not be the same," he said. "He was the swimmer I always wanted to beat."
A hint that Phelps, who has two more opportunities to add to his record 20 medals, might not be fully focused on his final Games came this year when he said London was "just about what size cherry I want to put on my sundae".
Defeat to Lochte last Saturday strengthened the impression that the Games might become a valedictory final lap for the man who won a record eight golds four years ago in Beijing.
Lochte, frustrated with his status as a perennial runner-up, has dedicated himself to a punishing training program with a view to defeating Phelps in London. Phelps responded to the challenge by increasing his workload and announcing he would drop one race from his Olympic schedule.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
