“You Didn’t Deserve”: Michael Phelps’ Rival Made a Bold Statement on His Iconic Win Denying Any ‘Science Fiction’ Like Supremacy

Olympics champ Michael Phelps is a household name in the swimming world. From a very young age, the athlete started preparing for a successful career in the sport. His dedication and enthusiasm helped him reach his peak. Winning 28 Olympic medals, with several other prestigious awards, is not a child’s play. But ruling the leaderboard also gives birth to rivalry. And so was the case with Michael Phelps.

A year after the legend’s last Olympics, one of his rivals revealed his true thoughts regarding Phelps’ 2016 victory. 

Michael Phelps’ return to the game

Phelps’ swimming career includes five Olympic seasons from where he bagged 23 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. He announced his retirement after the 2012 London Olympics but returned the next season. While fans and followers were happy with Phelps’ comeback, there was a section of people who didn’t like the idea. Nevertheless, who could stop Michael Phelps after he’s made up his mind? 

The athlete returned and won five gold medals and one silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Former Serbian opponent Milorad Cavic lost to Michael Phelps for only 0.01 of a second in the 100m butterfly event. Although he won silver, the entire incident of Phelps returning and taking away the gold was unacceptable to him. 

In 2017, Michael Phelps gave his opinions about anti-doping measures in a congressional hearing. Following this, rival Cavic posted a tweet related to the same and denied his outstanding recovery rate.

“Why you’re seeking reform now that you’re retired, and never before supported blood passports, is beyond us all, perhaps even convenient,” wrote Phelps’ rival. “I’m not suggesting you’re a cheat, you’ve gradually improved your times throughout your career, but your recovery rate is nothing short of science fiction.”

Furthermore, he believed that Phelps’ 2016 victory was undeserving and wrote, “I’m not saying you didn’t deserve that butterfly gold, but you definitely didn’t.”

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What are your thoughts about Phelps’ last win?

Phelps’ motivational speech

Since the age of 7, the athlete’s interest in swimming grew. At 11, he started training under Bob Bowman and worked rigorously to get into the Olympic team. The iconic figure is experienced enough and once motivated the entire crowd with his speech.

“I think the biggest thing that I’ve always said is, never give up and I never have and nobody ever should,” said the swimmer. “If they want something bad enough, they’ll get it. They have to work for it. Yeah, it’s not going to be easy.”

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Michael Phelps is a name that won’t fade away anytime soon. Given his extraordinary list of achievements and accolades, his fanbase is spread all across the planet. Furthermore, he is the greatest swimmer of all time and one of the greatest athletes up till now.