The American won his 22nd gold medal today, 9 have come from relays
while 13 are individual triumphs. The 31-year-old swimmer won his 13th
gold medal in the 200metres men's event to surpass the 2000-year record
set by Greek Olympian, Leonidas of Rhodes who won 12 individual gold
medals.
Leonidas competed in four successive Olympiads in
164BC, 160BC, 156BC and 152BC and in each of these he won three
different foot races.
An athlete who won three events at a single Olympics was known as a
triastes, or tripler. There were only seven triastes and Leonidas is the
only one known to have achieved the honour more than once. there were
no consolation prizes at the Olympics, no silver and bronze, you either
won or lost.
He was 36 when he did it on the fourth occasion - five years older than Phelps is today.
Congrats to Phelps!
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