Michael Phelps became the first male athlete from the USA to qualify for the swimming competition for five straight Olympics. Phelps qualified for the Rio Olympics on Wednesday after winning the Men's 200 metre butterfly event at the US swimming trials.
Phelps recorded a time of 1min 54.84sec in the event. However, he has done it much faster than this time previously, even if it was enough to take him through to the Rio Olympics 2016. After the completion of the event Phelps raised his right hand and extended all five of his fingers to indicate that he is going to feature in a fifth Olympic games.
Phelps, who is the owner of 22 Olympic medals, had to fight hard for this victory in the trials on Wednesday.
Phelps, who has 18 gold medals in the Olympic Games, will be looking to add to that tally during Rio Olympics in August, later this year.
"Just being able to finish how I want to is so important to me. Getting on this team was what I wanted to do," Phelps was quoted as saying by AFP.
Phelps' preparation was not as good ahead of the London games four years ago. Thus, having qualified for Rio, it will give him a major boost before the start of the Olympic Games in August.
