Michael Phelps broke a 2,000-year-old record
Leonidas of Rhodes isn’t exactly a household name. But until Thursday night, when Michael Phelps won his 13th individual gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley, Leonidas of Rhodes held the record for the most individual gold medals won at the Olympics. You’ve never heard of him, though, because he lived more than 2,000 years ago. The ancient athlete competed in the 164 B.C., 160 B.C., 156 B.C. and 152 B.C. Olympic Games in Greece and won all his medals in foot races, including one that required participants to race in a suit of armor.
Phelps, of course, won his 13 individual golds in the pool.
Overall, Phelps has won 26 medals in five Olympics, with his first medal coming at the 2004 Games in Athens, where Leonidas used to race.
Phelps still could add to that tally, too. On Friday night, the 31-year-old will attempt to win his 14th individual gold in the men’s 100-meter butterfly. The race is on NBC at 9:12 p.m. ET.
Michael Phelps looks up at the US flag as it’s raised during the medal ceremony Thursday, August 13, 2016, where he was awarded his 22nd career Gold Olympic Medal. Phelps won the 200-meter Individual Medley event Thursday night in Rio. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette
United States’ Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men’s 200-meter individual medley during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
United States’ Michael Phelps shows his gold medal for the men’s 200-meter individual medley to the media during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
United States’ Michael Phelps waves to the crowd after he was awarded the gold medal for the men’s 200-meter individual medley during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
United States’ gold medal winner Michael Phelps competes in the men’s 200-meter individual medley final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
The family of United States’ Michael Phelps, mother Debbie, front center left, and fiance Nicole Johnson holding their baby Boomer, during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)