Despite Ryan Lochte’s guarantee and Joseph Schooling’s plea, Michael Phelps says there is no way he will compete in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Lochte said Friday on NBC’s “Today” show he is positive Phelps will be back in four years, and Phelps’ mother, Debbie, said she already has races picked out for her son. But the only person whose words carry weight in the matter said it’s not happening.
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“I will just clarify that Ryan doesn’t know what he is talking about,” Phelps said, per USA Today, after he tied for second in the 100-meter butterfly Friday night. “I am not coming back in four years.”
Michael Phelps is pretty certain about whether he's coming back: pic.twitter.com/CktdiFQV8I
— Rachel Bachman (@Bachscore) August 13, 2016
Schooling, who beat Phelps for the gold in that race, said he was given the same answer when he asked Phelps to return for another Games.
Said Schooling, "I told him, 'Four more years?' and he said, 'No way.' If he changes his mind, that would be fun. I like racing Michael."
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Phelps, whose 22 career gold medals make him the most-decorated Olympic athlete of all time, has one more swim at these Rio Games — he’ll compete with his USA teammates in the 4x100-meter medley relay Saturday.
“I have two laps left in my career so I am happy and I’m excited and looking forward to tomorrow,” Phelps said. “I saw (what Lochte said) and I was like ‘thanks Ryan, throw me back out there for another four years.’ If he wants to come back it will be great.”