USA's Phelps Becomes Most Decorated Olympian

By Newsroom America Staff at 1 Aug 2012

(Newsroom America) -- Team USA swimmer Michael Phelps won his 19th Olympic medal Tuesday, swimming the anchor leg of a 4x200-meter relay.

An hour earlier, Phelps finished a frustrating second in the 200 meter butterfly, his signature event, taking a silver medal after making a shocking blunder at the finish.

The earlier win tied the most-medals record held by Soviet Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, but that didn't assauge Phelps' angst as he slung away his cap in disgust and forced a smile at the medal ceremony.

Before the relay, Phelps and his team huddled together, aware of their pending moment in history.

"I thanked those guys for helping me get to this moment," Phelps said. "I told those guys I wanted a big lead. I was like, 'You better give me a big lead going into the last lap,' and they gave it to me. I just wanted to hold on. I thanked them for being able to allow me to have this moment."

Phelps has 15 golds in his career, six more than anyone else, to go along with two silvers and two bronzes. Latynina won nine golds, five silvers and four bronzes from 1956-64, WBAL-TV reported.

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