SWIMMING : Phelps wins 22nd Olympic gold

Michael Phelps won his men’s 200 metre individual medley showdown against Ryan Lochte to secure his 22nd Olympic gold medal.

The superstar American, in what is expected to be his last final against countryman Lochte, surged to victory by almost two seconds on Thursday.

It marked Phelps’ fourth gold of the Rio Games as he won the 200m IM again – just as he has at every Olympics since 2004.

At each of those, Lochte has won a medal behind Phelps, but he finished fifth this time around after fading terribly on the final leg.

Instead, Japan’s Kosuke Hagino and China’s Wang Shun finished second and third respectively.