Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, And Team USA Win More Gold At 2016 Rio Olympics

After taking home the gold for team and all-around finals, Simone Biles nabbed more wins for Team USA. This time the record-setting gymnast took home the gold in the vault. Biles is the first American female to achieve this honor, as reported by the Huffington Post. She is also only one of three women to go triple gold; the other two being Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman — her teammates at the 2016 Rio Olympics. But, she is the first to earn three gold in a single Olympic year, boasts CBS Sports.

While Biles’ win was expected, Team USA also stepped in at other events to take first place in gold medals. Retiring Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps closed out his career with a gold win in the men’s medley relay. According to ESPN, for his last show, Phelps used his notable butterfly stroke to give teammate, Nathan Adrian, a 0.41-second lead that the team never lost.

Now known as “the greatest Olympian in history” per CBS Sports, future competitors will be tasked to beat Phelps 28 medals, with 23 golds. The sentiment as he waved to the roaring crowd could be seen on his face.

Offering few words to ESPN, Phelps stated, “Walking down the warm-up pool deck, I started getting choked up thinking this is my last ‘this,’ this is my last ‘that’. It was definitely more emotion than in 2012, and I think that’s a good thing.”

After his win, he went on to say, “This was the cherry on top that I wanted. I couldn’t be any happier with the end of my career. The things I’ve gone through in my life — this is how I’m supposed to be today. I wouldn’t change anything that got me here. I can honestly say this is the best place I’ve ever been in my life.”

Phelps ending tally for the 2016 Rio Olympics includes five gold medals and one silver. It is also the fourth consecutive Olympics that the swimmer will possibly win the most medals of all athletes.

The winning streak kept going for Team USA. Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands also snagged the gold for mixed doubles tennis — beating out another USA team comprised of Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram. The two won the tiebreaker after a disappointing first set. For Williams, the loss symbolized a missed chance for a record fifth gold medal in tennis at the Olympics; a report from the Washington Post states she now remains tied with her sister, Serena, with four golds. The athlete told reporters she usually competes in these events with her sister.

“I’m used to doing this with Serena, and it’s such a crazy feeling to do it with someone else. To feel what I feel with Serena with someone else is a wild emotion, and I never thought it would happen.”

The mixed doubles competition had been absent from the Olympic events since 1924, and made a comeback in 2012.

Finally, the USA Olympic basketball team is on its way to a gold victory. Edging past Team France with a three-point win, the All-Stars are three games away from their place as number one.

Paul George, a guard for the team, explained to ESPN that the road to winning has and will be tough.

“This isn’t a tournament that we’re going to just dominate. There’s talent around this world and they’re showcasing it. For us, it’s just figuring out how we’re going to win. We’re having spurts of dominating, but we’re just not finding ways to put a full 40 minutes together.”

The team has not lost any of its five games at this time.

Check in daily for more updates on the 2016 Rio Olympics and gold medal athletes, including Simone Biles.

[Photos by Getty Images/Alex Livesey and Adam Pretty]