Michael Phelps has taken athletic achievement to Olympian heights by
smashing a record that has remained untouched for two millennia.
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.
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
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