Rio Olympics: Michael Phelps Secures Unprecedented 22nd Individual Gold Medal

Michael Phelps is the ultimate gold standard in Olympic history. After securing his 20th and 21st individual gold medals on Wednesday, the swimming maestro added an unprecedented 22nd individual gold medal by winning the 200m individual medley event in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Japan's Kosuke Hagino won the silver medal while China's Shun Wang won the bronze medal. Phelps withstood a fierce challenge from compatriot Bryan Lochte and local favorite Thiago Pereira to clinch an amazing win.

This is the fourth consecutive time that Phelps has won the 200m individual medley event, making him the first swimmer to achieve this feat.

Phelps became the third Olympian to win the same individual event at four straight Games, joining discus thrower Al Oerter and Carl Lewis in the long jump in achieving the feat.

The 200m medley gold added to his 200 metres butterfly gold as well as the 4X200m gold which he won on Wednesday

Phelps's gold-medal haul includes titles in five different individual events. The American passed the modern mark eight years ago when he bested Ray Ewry's record of eight Olympic titles. Ewry was a track and field athlete who competed in the 1900, '04 and '08 Olympics - winning titles in the high jump, the long jump and the triple jump.

Lochte led at the halfway stage, but the world record-holder in the medley event couldn't hang on and finished fifth. Brazilian contender Thiago Pereira, buoyed by an ecstatic crowd, led after the opening butterfly lap and was equal second at the halfway point, but faded to finish seventh.

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