Watch: Phelps, Schooling, Cseh, Le Clos 100 Fly Press Conference

_{Captured by D’Artagnan Dias.}

_{Produced by Coleman Hodges.}

_{Reported by Mitch Bowmile.} 

MEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY FINAL

Start List: click here
Top Seed: 50.83 – Joseph Schooling – Singapore
World Record: 49.82 (2009) – Michael Phelps – USA
JR World Record: 51.33 – Li Zhuhao – China
Olympic Record: 50.58 (2008) – Michael Phelps – USA
2012 Olympic Champion: 51.21 – Michael Phelps – USA

In probably the most fitting send-off in this event for the greatest Olympic champion he tied with his two rivals, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh. He didn’t tie with them for the gold medal however, he had to settle for silver.

The last time Phelps lost this race internationally was at the 2005 world Championships in Montreal 11-years-ago where he got beat by American teammate Ian Crocker. The time that Crocker beat Phelps in: 50.40.

The 50.40 textile best from Crocker is the one record that has eluded him his entire career, and finally, in his last race ever, it went down. The only thing not picturesque about the loss is the fact that it went down at the hands of Joseph Schooling who defeated Phelps for gold with a 50.39.

Not only was the textile record finally broken, but a new age of the 100m butterfly has been ushered in on the hands of Schooling.

In the most fitting sendoff for the greatest Olympian of all time in the individual event, everything fit the storyline almost too perfectly.

1. Joseph Schooling – Singapore – 50.39