Updated at 3.49
MICHAEL PHELPS WON his 20th and 21st Olympic gold medals Tuesday after pulverising fierce rival Chad le Clos to regain his 200m butterfly title in a grudge race bristling with emotion, before succeeding as part of the victorious US team in the 4x200m free.
The American, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, added to his staggering title tally by overpowering the South African in the Rio final, clocking 1min 53.36sec.
Le Clos, the defending champion, faded badly in the final 50m and finished out of the medals as Japan’s Masato Sakai came through for a surprise silver in 1:53.40 with Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi taking bronze in 1:53.62.
World record-holder Phelps, who won the title in 2004 and 2008, celebrated by pointing to the ceiling and pumping his fists, gesturing to the crowd to “bring the noise” after becoming the oldest individual gold medallist in Olympic swimming history at 31.
Competing in his fifth and final Olympics, victory was twice as sweet for Phelps after clashing with le Clos in the media since losing to the South African in an epic tussle in London.
Phelps earned his 21st medal in the 4x200m free later Tuesday, as the US team won their race convincingly, with Britain taking silver and Japan claiming bronze.
A list of Michael Phelps’ 21 Olympic gold medals after winning the 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday:
Athens 2004
100m butterfly
200m butterfly
200m individual medley
400m individual medley
4x200m freestyle relay
4x100m medley relay
Beijing 2008
200m freestyle
100m butterfly
200m butterfly
200m individual medley
400m individual medley
4x100m freestyle relay
4x200m freestyle relay
4x100m medley relay
London 2012
100m butterfly
200m individual medley
4x200m freestyle relay
4x100m individual medley
Rio 2016
200m butterfly
4x100m freestyle relay
4x200m freestyle relay
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
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