Olympic Games 2016: Michael Phelps Wins His 22nd Olympic Gold But Is Denied His 23rd Gold Medal By Singapore’s Joseph Schooling!

Looks like Michael Phelps is used to rewriting history -- in fact now, he's even towering above it. While finding an athlete who could challenge the domineering record held by the "Flying Fish" may seem impossible, the U.S. star who claimed the 22nd Olympic gold of his Olympic career on Thursday, August 11, was denied his 23rd gold medal in the 100m butterfly by a 21-year-old Singaporean who became the country's first Olympic champion.

With this 22^nd Olympic gold - the 13th individual triumph of his Olympics career - Phelps has left behind the greatest of ancient Greece, Leonidas of Rhodes.

Taking his tally to four gold medals at Rio 2016 by winning the event for the fourth successive Games, Phelps surpassed Leonidas after narrowly defeating China's Wang Shun and Japan's Kosuke Hagino.

The accomplishments of Leonidas, a runner who participated in the event between 164 and 152 BC were chronicled by Pausanias and Philostratus the Athenian who told of his 12 victories, according to the official Olympics website.

In other news, Michael Phelps lost the last solo race of his career - the 100m butterfly final - to 21-year-old, Joseph Schooling from Singapore, The Guardian reported.

Phelps, who has 22-gold medals wasn't too cut up about it, however this was Schooling's (and Singapore's), very first. Perhaps, Phelps felt he could spare it. And more importantly, the "Baltimore Bullet" found a gratification in loss that gave the feeling of winning another gold medal.

Schooling was understandably excited about just being beside him as he noted that he will cherish celebrating with Phelps for the rest of his life. They've known each other for quite a long time. They first met in 2008, when the United States' team visited Singapore for training camp just ahead of the Beijing Games.

Although Phelps noted that he was not happy about losing, he also mentioned that he was "proud of Joe," who was in a "reflective mood."

Phelps said he wanted to change the sport of swimming, teach kids to believe in themselves and not be scared to know that the sky is the limit. And by the looks of it, that's precisely what he has done.