Michael Phelps: Swimming Star Will Salvage 2012 Olympics by Setting Medal Record

There is no bigger star in the entire 2012 Summer Olympics than United States swimmer Michael Phelps.

His recent lack of success has proven that his time of dominance is a thing of the past, though.

Now Phelps’s only real chance at Olympic glory will be to snag the overall medal record from Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won 18 medals over her career. Phelps is participating in the 200-meter butterfly and 4x200 freestyle Tuesday, July 31.

One more medal for Phelps would tie the record, and two more would make Team USA's biggest star the most decorated Olympic athlete in the history of the modern Olympiad.

Tuesday brings two more chances at glory for Team USA’s most recognizable face.

Phelps told The Guardian about his run in the 200-meter butterfly semifinals and where he really wanted to start Tuesday evening:

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"I did something that I don’t do in butterfly. I tried to see what my 100-m split was, which is not really like me. I knew we were all together but I wanted to swim a controlled race and swim comfortably. I was fine with that. I wanted to pull myself up and not be in lane eight for the final but somewhere closer to the middle."

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After 17 total medals in his previous Olympic experience, many fans felt he would dominate again in the seven events he entered like he and his eight gold medals did in 2008.

That has been far from the case.

With an abysmal showing in the 400-meter individual medley, Phelps finished fourth and proved that he is not the genetic freak that could just hop in the pool cold and win the gold like he was in Beijing. The rest of the swimmers around him are much better now.

While only winning the silver medal in the 4x100 freestyle was not his fault—Ryan Lochte lost the lead in the last leg—Phelps didn’t look indestructible in the race like he had when Team USA won the gold in this event four years ago.

There are plenty of events left for Phelps in these Games and few believe that he won’t beat the most medals overall record. As great as Phelps still is, there is no doubt that he isn’t the star he was in 2008.

Tonight’s performance could make everyone forget for awhile, though.

Check back for more on the 2012 Summer Olympics as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s Olympics page to get your fill of the best athletes the world has to offer.

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