Swimming GOAT Michael Phelps Fails to Make It to the Elite List That Also Features His Rival

Michael Phelps is arguably the finest swimmer and Olympian of all time. The Baltimore Bullet has broken and set multiple records throughout his illustrious career. Phelps often makes it to the top of numerous lists related to swimming. One will be hard-pressed to find a single event where Phelps hasn’t found success. However, the most decorated Olympian with 28 medals didn’t find a spot among five swimmers who have achieved an incredible milestone.

The list included elite swimmers who have achieved the rare milestone of winning the Youth Olympic Games and the Olympics. Phelps didn’t make it to the list for a disappointing technical reason. However, his rival and fellow Olympic gold medalist Chad le Clos sits atop the list as the first swimmer to achieve the distinction.

Why 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps didn’t make the list

Last week, SwimSwam‘s Swimming Stats Instagram page posted a list of five elite swimmers. The list contained Phelps’s rival, the South African Chad le Clos, Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, the Russian Evgeny Rylov, Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown, and ultimately Kristof Milak, the Hungarian. However, Phelps wasn’t on the list because the Youth Olympic games began in 2010.

A swimmer must be between 15 and 18 years to compete in the Youth Olympics. While the Baltimore Bullet was setting world records since he was a teen, in 2010, Michael Phelps was 25 years old. Hence, the most decorated Olympian didn’t get the opportunity to prove his mettle at the Youth Olympics.

READ MORE | “He Didn’t Like Me”: Michael Phelps Gave a Fitting Response to Chad le Clos’s Blunt Words in 2016

However, the Flying Fish‘s rival was 18 at the time of the first edition of the Youth Olympics. Chad le Clos won five medals at the 2010 Youth Olympics held in Singapore. In 2012, he famously beat Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly at the London Olympics. His win sparked a bitter rivalry with Phelps.

The rivalry that took center stage at the Rio Olympics

In 2015, Michael Phelps returned from retirement, renewing the dormant rivalry between the pair. After beating one another’s time at a few international swimming meets, the rival met in Rio. Phelps wanted to reclaim his 200m butterfly title, while le Clos wished to prove he could defend the title.

However, the much-anticipated race between the rivals didn’t live up to the hype. Although le Clos had a good start, he couldn’t keep up with Phelps. Ultimately, the Baltimore Bullet reclaimed his title, and the South African finished in fourth place.

Watch this story | Here’s how Katie Ledecky’s remarkable swimming technique propelled her to the top of the world-record charts

Do you think Phelps would have become the first athlete to win the Youth Olympics and the Olympics if he had been young enough to compete? Let us know in the comments.