Why Ryan Lochte Will Have a Greater Legacy Than Michael Phelps: London 2012

Michael Phelps went 8-for-8 in Beijing, and he's accumulated 16 Olympic medals in his career—14 of which are gold.

With just three medals in London, he becomes the most decorated Olympian. Ever.

But, despite the accolades, Phelps will be fighting another swimmer for the headlines. That man is Ryan Lochte, an American and his teammate.

The two will swim in a combined 12 events—one of those being a relay and two races head-to-head.

Bleacher Report and SwimSwam analyst Mel Stewart—a two-time Olympic gold medalist in his own right—looks ahead to project what each swimmer's legacy will be after London and beyond.

You'll be surprised by his answer.

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Like this video? Watch more of Bleacher Report's London coverage:

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Bleacher Report will be covering the 2012 London Olympics from every angle throughout the Olympiad, so stay tuned to BleacherReport.com and Bleacher Report's YouTube Channel for all of your coverage.