London: As if 22 medal ceremonies over the last three Olympics weren’t enough, Michael Phelps was summoned back to the pool deck for one more accolade.
This time, he received a silver trophy rather than a gold medal, an award that sought to sum up a career like no other.
“To Michael Phelps,” it said, “the greatest Olympic athlete of all time.”
In a final race that was more a coronation than a contest, Phelps headed into retirement the only way imaginable – with an 18th gold medal.
Reclaiming the lead with his trademark butterfly stroke, he capped off a mind-boggling career with a victory in the 4×100-metre medley relay on Saturday.
“I’ve been able to do everything that I wanted,” Phelps said.
When it was done, he hugged his teammates – Matt Grevers, Brendan Hansen and Nathan Adrian – before heading off the deck for the final time.
He waved to the crowd and smiled, clearly at peace with his decision to call it a career.
“I was able to really put the final cherry on top tonight, put all the whipped cream I wanted and sprinkles. I was able to top off the sundae,” Phelps said. “It’s been a great career. It’s been a great journey. I can’t be any more happy than I am.”
Phelps retires with twice as many golds as any other Olympian, and his total of 22 medals is easily the best mark, too.
He can be quite proud of his final Olympics as well, even though there were times he had trouble staying motivated after winning a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The 27-year-old could surely swim on for another Olympics, maybe two, but there’s really no point.
“I told myself I never want to swim when I’m 30,” Phelps said. “No offense to those people who are 30, but that was something I always said to myself, and that would be in three years.”
“Bob [Bowman, his coach] and I have somehow managed to do every single thing,” Phelps said. “If you can say that about your career, there’s no need to move forward. Time for other things.”
Bouncing back from a disappointing first race in London, a fourth-place finish in the 400 individual medley, Phelps wound up with more medals than any other swimmer at the games: four golds and two silvers.
Grevers had the Americans in front on the opening backstroke leg, but Kosuke Kitajima put Japan slightly ahead going against Hansen in the breaststroke. Not to worry, not with Phelps going next.
He surged through the water in the fly, handing off a lead of about a quarter of a second to Adrian for the freesytle anchor.
He made one more victory lap around the pool and all the swimmers from the other relay teams shook his hand once he was done.
“It’s kind of cool,” Phelps said. “The best part of the Olympics is you have people coming from all over the world competing in the best sporting event ever. That’s just something you don’t see every day.” (AP)