Michael Phelps owns four individual Olympic records in swimming. On Tuesday in Japan, he offered a prediction regarding one of his records.
Phelps and Mike Tirico were talking on the NBC set ahead of the semifinals for the men’s 200 meter butterfly at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. The 200 meter butterfly has been Phelps’ best-known event over the years. However, he thinks his Olympic record time in the event is going to be broken.
“I’m happy I’m not in it,” Phelps said of the 200 meter butterfly. “I have a feeling my Olympic record’s going to fall very shortly.”
Phelps set an Olympic record at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing with a time of 1:52.03. That mark has stood through two ensuing Olympiads, but Phelps thinks it’s in danger of falling.
Why? Because Hungarian swimmer Kristof Milak is in the event. In 2019, Milak broke Phelps’ world record in the 200 meter fly with a time of 1:50.73. Milak won his semifinal in Tokyo on Tuesday easily with a time of 1:52.22.
Phelps called Milak technically “perfect” and described the Hungarian as extremely efficient with his stroke. Phelps anticipates his record will go down in the event’s final.
