RECORD OLYMPIC GOLD medal winner Michael Phelps has confirmed this year’s London Games will be his last.
American Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals in the pool, more than any other athlete in modern Olympic history, and will hope to claim the record for the most Olympic medals when he competes in London.
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But the 26-year-old has ruled out continuing his career until the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“I will be retiring after London,” Phelps said. ”If my mom wants to go to Rio (de Janeiro) we can go on vacation there, but I will not be swimming after London.”
Phelps needs to win three medals in London to surpass former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record of 18 Olympic medals. But after the games finish in August, Phelps will move on from swimming.
“After London, there are a couple of things I want to do for myself, just be able to travel and have fun and do some things that I haven’t been able to do,” Phelps said.
“Whether it’s go to all these amazing cities that I’ve been able to see, but not really see and do things like snowboarding or doing other things that because I’ve been competing I haven’t been able to partake in.”
Michael Phelps: London Olympics will be my last
RECORD OLYMPIC GOLD medal winner Michael Phelps has confirmed this year’s London Games will be his last.
American Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals in the pool, more than any other athlete in modern Olympic history, and will hope to claim the record for the most Olympic medals when he competes in London.
But the 26-year-old has ruled out continuing his career until the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“I will be retiring after London,” Phelps said. ”If my mom wants to go to Rio (de Janeiro) we can go on vacation there, but I will not be swimming after London.”
Phelps needs to win three medals in London to surpass former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record of 18 Olympic medals. But after the games finish in August, Phelps will move on from swimming.
“After London, there are a couple of things I want to do for myself, just be able to travel and have fun and do some things that I haven’t been able to do,” Phelps said.
“Whether it’s go to all these amazing cities that I’ve been able to see, but not really see and do things like snowboarding or doing other things that because I’ve been competing I haven’t been able to partake in.”
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