Chad: 'I became Phelps'

Some 70 minutes after Chad le Clos beat the greatest swimmer of all time, Michael Phelps became the greatest Olympian of all time.

Phelps picked up his 19th career medal - a gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay - making him the most decorated Games athlete ever.

With it he passed the Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, now 77, who won 18 medals from the Melbourne Olympics of 1956 to Rome in 1960 and Tokyo 1964.

Phelps first equalled Latynina's 18 medals when a silver was handed to him by the 20-year-old South African upstart who admitted that - as crazy as it sounds - he became Phelps to beat Phelps.

"I knew Michael finished strong," Le Clos said of the 200m butterfly race in which he produced the fastest final lap to win. Le Clos beat Phelps by five-hundredths of a second.

"It sounds crazy but I actually thought I was Michael. When I turned, I looked at him and I don't know, it was a trigger point where I thought I can try do something special here."

Le Clos competes in six of the same events as Phelps.

He has previously said that by the 2016 Games in Rio he would like to compete in eight events, the same number Phelps did in Athens and Beijing.

"And then the last 25m, it actually came in slow-mo and I remember thinking to myself my coach Graham (Hill) told me: 'Just keep it long, make sure you do not shorten up'. I remember thinking that, and if I get there first he will be happy."

Le Clos caught Phelps on the wall with a perfect finish - reminiscent of Phelps' controversial 100m butterfly victory over Milorad Cavic at the Beijing Games by one-hundredth of a second .

Phelps admitted he had got his own finish wrong on Tuesday night.

"I'm not making excuses. There are times I am lazy going into the wall. I watched the finish and Chad was there at the right time. He got his hand on the wall first."

The American had nothing but praise for Le Clos.

"I have got to know him a little in the last year and he is a very, very good competitor, very hard-working, a very hungry kid. He got his hand on the wall first, a little frustrating [for me]."

Phelps, a gracious loser, even told Le Clos to enjoy his time in the sun during the medal ceremony.

"I was a little bit teary but he did say congratulations, live the moment and enjoy it," Le Clos said.

"He really is special and [that] coming from him was special."

"Being an Olympic gold medallist is something I have dreamt about but never thought it would come true, not at these Games surely.

"I did not think I was actually going to win the race, but I am just very proud to achieve what I have achieved."