Michael Phelps won his fourth gold medal of the Rio Olympics and 22nd of his career with a win in the highly anticipated 200-meter individual medley Thursday.
The race was billed as possibly the last time Phelps and United States teammate Ryan Lochte will square off in an individual final. Phelps pulled away from the field in the final 50 meters to win in 1:54.66, 1.95 seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Japan's Kosuke Hagino.
Many prominent figures from across the sports and entertainment world congratulated Phelps on Twitter:
Phelps is unreal. #RandyMarsh2016
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) August 12, 2016
Panthers and Ravens players stopped on the field to watch Phelps win his 22nd gold medal.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 12, 2016
Baltimore proud.
Michael Phelps ... 22 Gold Medals #AnotherOne #Boomin #Gold #CuEuPu #CallGod @TeamUSA #RioOlympics16
— Antonio Brown (@AntonioBrown84) August 12, 2016
Michael Phelps should go back to golf. Because in the pool it's just not a fair fight:). Go Champ!!!
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) August 12, 2016
@MichaelPhelps #TeamUSA #TeamUA unreal!
— Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) August 12, 2016
Domination. #Phelps
— Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) August 12, 2016
Phelps!🏅🇺🇸🏊🏽
— Buzz Williams (@TeamCoachBuzz) August 12, 2016
Michael. Phelps. 22 #gold
— Breanna Stewart (@bre_stewart30) August 12, 2016
Michael Phelps needs to be in the next Avenger movie!! #TeamUSA
— Norris Cole II (@pg30_Cole) August 12, 2016
Do you think Phelps could wear that big coat in the water and still beat me?
— Sam Dekker (@dekker) August 12, 2016
To win that many times when you're expected to is even more impressive to me. Unreal #Phelps #GOAT 🐐
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) August 12, 2016
Man, Machine, Myth @MichaelPhelps #GOAT https://t.co/7jTwBDWmvn
— Patrice Bernier (@pbernier10) August 12, 2016
.@MichaelPhelps is a phenom!!!!
— Tim McGraw (@TheTimMcGraw) August 12, 2016
In the race immediately following, Simone Manuel tied Canada's Penny Oleksiak for gold in the women's 100-meter freestyle in an Olympic-record time of 52.70 seconds. Manuel became the first African-American woman to win an Olympic medal in an individual swimming event.
Her win also generated an emphatic response on social media:
AHHH!!! My roomie @simone_manuel just won a gold medal! I'm shaking. So proud of you. #CHAMP
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) August 12, 2016
Simone Manuel!! Incredible race and such a great interview #TeamUSA #SimoneManuel #RandyMarsh2016
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) August 12, 2016
Congrats @simone_manuel gettin that gold! #NeverGiveUp #CallGod #CuEuPu #RioOlympics16 @TeamUSA
— Antonio Brown (@AntonioBrown84) August 12, 2016
LET'S FREAKING GO USA @ryan_f_murphy @simone_manuel @MichaelPhelps
— Caeleb Dressel (@caelebdressel) August 12, 2016
Congratulations H-Town.. 1st African American Woman. @simone_manuel pic.twitter.com/WIrBAt0KUT
— Donald Driver (@Donald_Driver80) August 12, 2016
Congrats Simone Manuel! You are inspirational! Wow #TheotherSimone
— David Robinson (@DavidtheAdmiral) August 12, 2016
Simone Manuel & Simone Biles holding it down for Houston and America.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) August 12, 2016
Incredible Performances. #USA
So incredible @simone_manuel!!!
— Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix) August 12, 2016
So Inspiring 🇺🇸🇺🇸 @simone_manuel
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 12, 2016
