When does Michael Phelps to swim again? Tonight for sure; US rival Lochte says Phelps will go to Tokyo Olympics in 2020

Published 1:24 pm Friday, August 12, 2016

Will Michael Phelps add even more gold to his Olympic career?

We’ll see when the men’s 100 meter butterfly finals are held Friday at 8:12 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

Phelps has the world and Olympic (Beijing) records in the event and qualified in the semifinals Thursday night after winning the 200 individual medley final for a fourth consecutive Olympics and his fourth gold of 2016.

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Don’t expect speculation about Michael Phelps’ Olympic future to die down anytime soon. Especially with his Olympic roommate and swimming rival Ryan Lochte stirring speculation about Tokyo.

Lochte said Friday on NBC’s “Today” that his rivalry with Phelps will “definitely” have another chapter at the Tokyo Games in 2020.

Lochte says: “I guarantee he will be there.”

Phelps has already come back from retirement once, but has said he plans to retire after Rio. He’s already won four golds here and has the chance for two more.

Phelps easily beat Lochte and the rest of the field Thursday night in the 200-meter individual medley, besting his American rival by nearly 3 seconds. Lochte placed fifth.

Lochte has been non-committal about whether Rio is his last Olympics.