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American swimmer Michael Phelps begins his unprecedented Olympic gold-medal run, posting his first world record by beating compatriot Erik Vendt by more than three seconds.
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After a pair of bronze – the third place in the 200-metre freestyle ensured Phelps wouldn’t match Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in one Olympics Games, Phelps gets back on track by breaking U.S. swimmer Tom Malchow’s Olympic mark en route to a victory.
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About an hour after winning the 200m butterfly, Phelps records gold-medal No. 3. The American, alongside Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay, and Klete Keller, helps lead a victory over the game Australians – featuring legend Ian Thorpe.
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No one could predict that the Phelps-Lochte rivalry would become major event for the 2012 London Games, but in Athens, Lochte was simply another overwhelmed opponent as Phelps wins the by a 1.65-second margin.
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The confidence of American Ian Crocker shows its first sign of decline. The world-recorder to that point, Crocker suffers a major blow when Phelps defeats him by just 0.04 of a second.
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As a show of solidarity to his shaken teammate, Phelps gives way to Crocker in the final of the relay event. The grand jester allows Crocker to win his only gold medal of the Athens Games. Phelps, meanwhile, also earned gold because he had competed in the preliminaries.
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The quest to eclipse Spitz’s previously unthinkable record starts during a race Phelps wins in world-record time, easily outdistancing Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh by 2.32 seconds.
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While Phelps would break Spitz’s record days later, he owes teammate Jason Lezak big time for keeping the mark intact. Racing against heavily favoured France, Lezak uses an effective dragging technique to make up half a body length on Alain Bernard in the anchor leg.
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Phelps breaks his own previous world record by nearly a second, easily earning his only Olympic gold medal in this event.
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Despite having his goggles filled up with water and not being able to “see anything for the last 100 metres,” Phelps still beats Cseh by 0.67th of a second. The Baltimore Bullet also sets the all-time mark of 10 career gold medals.
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In less than an hour Phelps wins his second gold medal as he swims the lead-off leg in the relay with anchor Peter Vanderkaay bringing home victory for the U.S. The Americans become the first team to break the seven-minute mark.
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Phelps inches closer to Spitz’s record with a dominating performance, setting his fourth individual world record of the Games
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The 100m butterfly couldn’t have been any closer. Phelps chases down Milorad Cavic and uses his 6’4 reach to beat his brash Serbian opponent by the minuscule time of 0.01. Despite Cavic’s protest, the victory was upheld, allowing Phelps win his seventh gold medal and equaling Spitz.
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History is made as Phelps topples Spitz and his 36-year-old record with the help teammates Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol and Jason Lezak. It was also the seventh world record for Phelps, relays included, in Beijing.
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After suffering a heartbreaking defeat in his signature event – the 200 butterfly – Phelps regroups to help his U.S. relay team take gold. The victory gives Phelps his record-setting 19th Olympic medal, breaking the 48-year mark set by Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina.
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Phelps gains a measure of revenge on Lochte as he takes gold in nearly world-record (0.27 seconds off Lochte’s mark) time.
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The American doesn’t let another way get away as he holds off London Olympic 200 butterfly champion Chad le Clos of South Africa at the wall. It’s the final individual medal of his illustrious career.
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In his final Olympic race, Phelps leads the U.S. relay team to an easy victory, finishing his Olympic career with a remarkable 18 golds and 22 medals. The swimming icon is then honoured with a silver trophy, taking his place as the most decorated Olympian ever.
