"Felt like I was on the edge of breaking down"- When Michael Phelps opened up about emotional victory lap with USA teammates in his final Olympic race

Michael Phelps once opened up about being emotional while going on a victory lap with his teammates during his final Olympic appearance. The American swimmer competed in the final Olympic race of his career in the men's 4x100m medley relay and won the gold medal with an Olympic record.

Phelps stepped into his final Olympic campaign after overcoming multiple struggles both in his personal as well as professional life. Before his appearance, he had stated that it would be the last campaign of his career, and duly so, the most decorated Olympian of all time put forward an incredible set of performances to establish his dominance and emerge as one of the most successful swimmers of all time.

Michael Phelps concluded his campaign with five gold medals and one silver medal. However, his last race in the Olympic arena held a significant place in his heart, and he spoke about the moment he won the 4x100 medley relay and celebrated with a victory lap while the fans kept cheering on. Phelps shared that it was a very emotional moment for him, and he was on the verge of breaking down.

He reflected on his journey as a swimmer that spanned almost two decades while living his final moments in the Olympic arena as a professional swimmer.

“The entire time I felt like I was on the edge of breaking down. And not just tearing up, but breaking down to the point where my whole body would be shaking from crying so hard.” (as quoted by SI)

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Michael Phelps on feeling emotional on the podium at the Rio Olympics

Michael Phelps gets emotional at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 - Source: Getty

Michael Phelps spoke about being emotional on the podium at the Rio Olympics in an interview with ESPN. His picture from the podium had gone viral on the internet, and Phelps shared that he was overwhelmed with emotions when he heard the National Anthem in the arena as the American flag was raised.

The American swimmer shared that he tried to control his emotions during the victory ceremony of the 200 IM, but he could not hold it back at that time.

"Every time I hear the national anthem there are so many memories going through my head now. And pretty much every time I hear it I'm in tears. I was trying to hold it back tonight and I couldn't," he said.

Michael Phelps hoped that he could inspire the upcoming generations with his relentless pursuit over the years as he pushed the boundaries of the sport with his never-give-up mentality.