Michael Phelps wins another gold medal in 100-meter butterfly

LONDON -- The long goodbye for Michael Phelps is turning into the golden goodbye.

Phelps won his third gold medal of the London Olympics with an emphatic statement in the 100-meter butterfly, winning in 51.21 seconds.

He was seventh at the turn and put on his trademark finish of power.

“I didn’t have a good finish, didn’t have a good turn,” he said. “But, you know what, I’m not going to nit-pick my races right now. I’m just happy to be able to defend that title. All of my 100 flys have have been within two-tenths of a second.

“It’s a good way to finish my last individual swim ever. To be able to win it is pretty special.”

His margin of victory on Friday at the Aquatics Center was 0.23 seconds. There was a tie for the silver between Chad le Clos of South Africa, who beat Phelps in the 200 fly earlier in the meet, and Evgeny Korotyshkin of Russia.

Their times were 51.44.

It was another three-peat for Phelps, who won this event at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008.

This was his 21st Olympic medal, and 17th gold.

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