Michael Phelps has beat Russian gymnast, Larisa Latynina as the Olympian with the most ever medals on Tuesday. The swimmer broke her record of 18 medals, by winning the gold with his team during the 4x200m relay. He now has 19 medals-15 gold, two silver and two bronze.
Before Phelps broke her record Larissa Latynina told Yahoo! Sports, "Do I think I am still the greatest Olympian? Why yes, but that is my opinion. Why do I think this? Well, I did not only compete in three Olympic Games and won many medals, but the Soviet Union team had very great success when I was the coach."
Latynina won nine gold medals and 18 total medals during her career at the Olympics. She played in Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960 and Tokyo in 1964 and was a coach during the 1970s for the Soviet Union where she won another 10 gold medals.
Success is an understatement. Latynina won nine golds and 18 total medals in her Olympic career, one that took her to Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960 and Tokyo in 1964. When she was coach during the 1970s, the Soviet Union claimed another 10 golds.
Latynina told Yahoo! Sports that she would have mixed emotions over watching Phelps 200-meter butterfly and 4x200m relay as it was likely that he would break her record.
She said, "Of course I know about this. I have been asked about this many times. Everyone wants to know about this, so I know every time he swims and what might happen. I am prepared. I am ready for this. I have had this record for a long time. I don't hope he will break it, of course not. But I know."
Latynina,77, had said to The New York Times, ""Forty-eight years is almost enough time to hold a record," on Tuesday.
The gymnast had hoped that she would be able to present Phelps with the record breaking medal but Olympic rules did not allow it. When Phelps broke her record, Latynina remained gracious and said to The New York Times, ""Phelps deserves the record. He is such a talented sportsman."
Earlier this year Latynina met Phelps and presented him with a gold medal she won in the 1962 Olympics.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
