Michael Phelps broke Larisa Latynina’s record of 18 Olympic medals in the 200 meter
Michael Phelps strikes again bringing himself to par with record-breaking Olympian Larisa Latynina, 77. In fact, Phelps broke her record of 18 medals with a 19th medal, which he won in today’s 200 meter butterfly round.
While Michael Phelps already had the lead splashing into the Olympics with 14 gold medals and two bronze, the largest number amongst this year’s olympians, Ryan Lochte stole Day two’s Team USA medals in the 400 relay.
In that relay, Phelps came in the rear in fourth place, and disheveled, could barely look at the camera while speaking with a reporter.
Michael Phelps met Latynina earlier this year, and she gifted him a non-Olympic medal from a competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union as a token of good luck. According to The Baltimore Sun, Latynina said she hopes to see Michael Phelps in his element, in the water, as he continues to break her record.
After proclaiming herself the best Olympian of all-time, Latynina supported her belief with, “Why do I think this? Well, I did not only compete in three Olympic Games and won many medals, but the Soviet Union team had very great success when I was the coach.”
Latynina extends her compliments and words of kindness to Michael Phelps.
To win the silver, Michael Phelps started off well ahead of his opponents, and kept up the pace in the 200 meter butterfly Tuesday.
USA Today dubbed Michael Phelps “The most accomplished Olympian who ever lived and left it to [the] rest of us to decide what that means.”
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