At first glance, breaking a record from the ancient Olympics doesn’t sound all that impressive. Like, a human back in 100 B.C. probably couldn’t run all that fast, or dunk a basketball, or even build a pool to swim the 200-meter butterfly in.
But that’s not the kind of record Michael Phelps broke.
With his victory in the 200-meter butterfly, he won his 12th Olympic gold medal, which is a number only equaled by Leonidas of Rhodes.
#Olympics With his 12th individual Olympic title Michael Phelps equal the all time Olympic record set by Leonidas of Rhodes in 152 BC
— Hilary Evans (@OlympicStatman) August 10, 2016
In the ancient Olympics, Leo competed in running events, the stadion, the diaulos, and the hoplitodromos, because older civilizations were pretty crappy at naming things. Basically like the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 400-meter dash wearing body armor.
He won all three in four straight Olympics, for 12 individual victories.
For two millennia that feat stood alone, until Michael Phelps arrived.
That’s fucking boss.
[Via The Washington Post]
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