Phelps in Rio, one way or another

“D-O-N-E. Done.”
That’s what Michael Phelps told CNN’s Becky Anderson shortly after carting off his 22nd Olympic medal, shattering the 38-year-old record set by the Soviet Union’s Larisa Latynina. “I don’t know if people really believe me, but I am actually finished. I’m retiring.”
While Phelps has been adamant that this Olympic games would be his last, the start to his 2012 games started off more turbulently than most expected. 

In his first final, the 400 individual medley, Phelps took fourth place, the first time he had failed to medal in an Olympic event since 2000.

In Phelps’ next two races, the 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay and the 200m Butterfly, he took silver in both events, leaving many wondering if Team USA teammate Tyler Clary’s pre-Olympic comments about Phelp’s displaying “a real lack of preparation” was coming to fruition.

But later that afternoon, Phelps turned it around, helping the U.S. Men take gold in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay, and becoming the greatest Olympian of all time, with 19 medals.

“Being able to be the most decorated was something we really wanted,” he said. “To be the best and to do something nobody else has ever done was something that was there.”

Finishing off the Games with three more gold medals gave Phelps his 22nd, with 18 of them being gold, nine more than anyone else.

While Phelps aquatic-centric activities may not put his athleticism on par with other elite U.S. athletes like LeBron James or Sanya Richards-Ross, the hardware that hangs around his neck sure is impressive.

Phelps’ latest, and last, Olympic event proved that there has never been a more dominant competitor to represent his country.

For now, Phelps seems happy with his decision. “There will be no more staring at that black line for four hours every day,” He said. “This is the first day of retirement. This is the first day of my new life.”

But, as we’ve seen from great competitors before him, like Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong, sometimes the allure of the competition is too much for these athletes to leave behind.
If I was a betting man, (which I definitely am, now that you mention it) I would put my money on seeing Phelps in Rio De Janiero in 2016, in some capacity or another.

Actually, that’s a pretty sure thing. According to the pillar of journalistic integrity that is TMZ, an NBC Sports executive reportedly said the network “would definitely hire Michael” to cover the Olympics in 2016.
So long as he’s not in the water, that is.
 

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