Michael Phelps Takes the Gold in 200 IM for the Third Time

By Laura Stanley on August 2, 2012

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Michael Phelps continued to add to his legacy today, when he became the first male swimmer to win the same event in three successive Olympic Games.

First Athens, then Beijing and now London --the 27-year-old has officially conquered the men’s 200 meter individual medley.

And to top it all off, the win marked his 16th gold medal and 20th medal overall in his Olympic career.

Phelps clinched gold with a time of 1:54.27 - only a few tenths shy of teammate Ryan Lochte’s record of 1:54.00 from the Shanghai World Championships last year. Lochte himself wasn't far behind today, taking silver with a time of 1:54.90. And rolling into third was Laszlo Cseh from Hungary, who nabbed the bronze with a finishing time of 1:56.22.

This is the first time that a man has managed to win the same individual event at three successive games. Only two swimmers - both female- have accomplished this in the past. Australia’s Dawn Fraser won the 100 freestyle in 1956,’60, and ’64 and Hungary’s Krisztina Egerszegi won the 200 backstroke in 1988, ’92, and ’96.

While Phelps appeared to swim with ease, Lochte’s performance seemed even more incredible given his bronze medal finish in the 200 backstroke event - which took place only half an hour before.

Go Team USA!

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