American swimmer Ryan Lochte made the biggest splash of the London Games so far by obliterating his compatriot Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer in Olympic history, in the first of their eagerly awaited duels.
Michael Phelps said he is "not in the best shape" after finishing third in the short course 100 metres medley final at a World Cup meeting in Stockholm, on Tuesday.
Michael Phelps gifted himself an early birthday present by winning the 200 metres butterfly at the US Olympic swim trials on Wednesday to punch his ticket to the Rio Summer Games.
They've become almost as well-known back home as their superstar swimming sons.
Michael Phelps won the 18th gold of a mind-boggling career in the 4x100 metre medley relay on Saturday, retires with twice as many golds as any other Olympian.
Memorable comments by sports stars in 2012.
One of the most decorated Olympians of all time, American swimming legend Michael Phelps has sent out a warning to his rivals, saying he still has "some unfinished business" left going into the Rio Olympic Games. "I have some unfinished business I'd like to take care of them before I hang up my suit. And I'm actually enjoying being back in the water again. That was pretty challenging for me going into 2012. But I just feel like a kid again and I love it," he said. The 31-year-old Phelps has 18 Olympic gold medals, 26 World Aquatics Championships gold, 1 World Swimming Championships gold medal and 16 Pan Pacific Championships gold.
London's Olympic Park has taken on the air of a construction site again, with work under way on a 292 million pound transformation before Britons can use facilities like the swimming pool and cycle trails.
For almost 20 years, Michael Phelps was swim coach Bob Bowman's project. But Phelps, who retired from swimming as the most decorated Olympian of all time after winning a record 22 medals including 18 golds, is now swing guru Hank Haney's project as he turns his sights on becoming a top golfer.
Rediff.com takes a look at those swimmers who achieved the double without much trouble.
One more race. Two more laps. And, in all likelihood, an 18th gold medal for Michael Phelps. He will wrap up his swimming career on Saturday with the butterfly leg of 4x100 medley relay, an event the US men have never lost.
Triumphant Michael Phelps did not need to rely on hi-tech swimsuit wizardry to reaffirm his worth at the world aquatics championships. His successes came despite his Speedo bodysuit being widely regarded as less performance-enhancing than other models, while he only wore long pants in his 200 butterfly victory.
Nathan Adrian took out the Missile by a fingertip. Daniel Gyurta and Rebecca Soni took down two more world records at the pool.
Michael Phelps and powerhouse rowing teams from Australia and Britain were the early highlights at the Olympics on Monday when London's notoriously clogged roads appeared to handle the extra crush of traffic on the first business day of the games.
Michael Phelps opened defense of his Olympic title in the 200-meter butterfly with the fifth-fastest qualifying time in the preliminaries on Monday.
Action from the swimming event at the London Olympics on Sunday.
Ryan Lochte turned his much-anticipated duel with Michael Phelps into a blowout, pulling away to win the 400-meter individual medley by more than 3 seconds Saturday night. And even more stunning: Phelps didn't even win a medal.
Michael Phelps has dropped the 200 metres freestyle from his schedule for next month's London Olympics, leaving him with seven events for his Games swansong.
Cricketer Vernon Philander was named South Africa's 'Sportsman of the Year' after losing the top title of 'Sports Star of the Year' to Olympic gold-medallist swimmer Chad Le Clos.
Earlier only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could be seen strutting on the golf course. They made head turns and one was surprised how these doyens of their field (tennis) were so comfortable exchanging golf clubs for their racquets.
Olympic great Michael Phelps is known for the excellence of his swimming strokes but will now gain recognition for his putting stroke after sinking a 150-foot effort at the Dunhill Links pro-am.
Michael Phelps and Allyson Felix were named as the United States Olympic Committee's (USOC) best athletes for 2011-12 on Monday for their gold-medal performances at the London Olympics.
When Michael Phelps scaled the peak of Olympic achievement at Beijing in 2008 only one thing spoiled his view from the top. As he surveyed all below him, he instantly realized the only way forward was down.
The United States clawed back to the top of the Olympic medal table at the London Games, waving goodbye to Michael Phelps its greatest ever medal producer, and saying hello to a brigade of young newcomers who will carry the torch onto Rio.
Rediff.com takes a look at the youngest swimmers to take gold in London.
Michael Phelps won the 100-metre butterfly at the London Games for a record 17th gold and 21st medal overall in his Olympic career.
Michael Phelps became the first male swimmer to win the same event at three successive Olympics when he clinched the men's 200 metres individual medley gold medal at the London Games on Thursday.
American swimmer Michael Phelps is 'probably not' the greatest Olympic champion of all time, despite winning a record total of 19 medals, London 2012 Games chief Sebastian Coe said on Wednesday.
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte both safely qualified for the semi-finals of the men's 200 metres individual medley at the London Olympics on Wednesday.
Michael Phelps swam into history with his 19th Olympic medal, and this one was a more appropriate color.
Swimmer Michael Phelps won his 17th Olympic medal to take him closer to the all-time mark, but his US freestyle relay team were upstaged by France as records fell in the pool on Sunday's second day of competition at the London Games.
Michael Phelps's mystique may have shattered by Ryan Lochte, after finishing 4th in the 400m Individual Medley on Saturday.
Michael Phelps barely qualified in the 400-meter individual medley on the opening day of Olympic swimming, squeaking into the final by seven-hundredths of a second on Saturday.
Michael Phelps turned the tables on his great rival Ryan Lochte to win the 200 metres freestyle final at the US Olympic trials on Wednesday and remain on course for another massive haul at the London Games.
Ryan Lochte reaffirmed his status as the world's best all round swimmer when he beat Michael Phelps at the US Olympic swimming trials on Monday to book his spot on the American team for London.
Michael Phelps has signed up for seven individual events, which combined with the three relays he is likely to join at the London Olympics could potentially see him strive for a stunning 10 gold medals this summer.
Ryan Lochte of the United States won the men's 200 metres freestyle title at the world swimming championships on Tuesday, beating Olympic champion Michael Phelps into second place.
The bodysuit war that reduced the 2009 swimming World Championships to farce and effectively turned the sport into a battle of technology could erupt again on Wednesday when Michael Phelps takes to the catwalk to launch a new outfit for next year's London Olympics.
Ahead of his much-anticipated clash with the celebrated Michael Phelps at the Olympics Aquatics Stadium in Barra da Tijuca, South African Chad Le Clos has announced that he's the best out there.
An Olympic historian disagrees with a widely held consensus that American swimmer Michael Phelps is the greatest ever Olympian.
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