10 Aug 2016

Michael Phelps wins 21st Olympic gold medal

3:05 pm on 10 August 2016

US swimmer Michael Phelps has claimed the 20th and 21st Olympic gold medals of his career in Rio today.

Phelps won the medals for the 200m butterfly final and the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the Men's 200m Butterfly Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the Men's 200m Butterfly Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

The record-breaking US Olympian thrashed defending champion Chad le Clos to take 200m butterfly gold.

The 31-year-old cruised to victory in one minute 53.36 seconds, as the South African only managed to finish fourth.

Phelps avenged 29-year-old Le Clos' victory over him at London 2012.

Japan's Masato Sakai and Hungary's Tamas Kenderesi overtook Le Clos in the final 50m to take the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Phelps and Le Clos will meet again in another latest instalment of their continuing duel when they compete in the 100m butterfly later this week.

But the 200m was the event which Phelps had targeted following his dramatic defeat in London four years ago.

That final was supposed to be his farewell to the sport having already announced his intention to retire after the Games.

He came out of retirement in 2014.

Phelps has won more than twice as many Olympic gold medals as the athlete second on the list, former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina (nine).

- BBC

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