Nathan Adrian, Michael Phelps, Ryan Murphy and Cody Miller thank the host city. - GETTY

Olympics

DK's Five Rings: Farewell to the truly incomparable Michael Phelps

Aug 13, 2016 • 11:45 pm

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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Michael Phelps is really, really done. He swears it.

"This is how I wanted to finish my career," he repeated for maybe the millionth time at these Olympics late Saturday night after capping his unparalleled swimming career with his 23rd gold, fifth of these Games, in the 4x100-meter medley relay. "Getting off the bus, walking into the pool tonight ... I pretty much felt myself starting to cry. Last time putting on a suit. Last time walking out in front of thousands of people representing my country."

Phelps took the butterfly leg of the race, befitting his trademark race, and overcame a second-place standing to put the U.S. ahead to stay.

And once the medal presentation was done, after a visibly emotional response to hearing our national anthem one final time atop a podium, Phelps and his U.S. teammates held up a large sign that read, "Thank you, Rio!" for the warm way in which they'd been received at the Aquatics Stadium from Day 1.

Phelps' career closed with 28 total medals, including the five golds and one silver here.

We'll never see another swimmer like him.

Though I'm liking very much the chance of seeing one like her.

THE GLOBAL HEADLINE

The fastest woman in the world is a Jamaican, but it isn't Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who took gold in the 100 meters in Beijing and London.

No, it's Elaine Thompson, a 24-year-old who Saturday night at Olympic Stadium stirringly pulled away from the expected tight pack over the final 20 meters to cross the finish line at 10.71 seconds, far ahead of American silver medalist Tori Bowie, 25, at 10.83. Fraser-Pryce, 29, took bronze at 10.86.

Passing of the torch?

"When I crossed the line and glanced across to see I was clear, I didn't quite know how to celebrate," Thompson said. "There is a big screen back home in my community in Jamaica. I can't imagine what is happening there right now."

Bowie didn't look or sound disappointed, at least not once she had a few minutes to shake off the race. She'll go again in the 200, beginning Monday, and is seen as a gold candidate.

"I came here hungry," she said. "I came here determined to leave with a gold medal, and I didn't do that today, but this just makes me a little bit more motivated for Monday."

A certain other Jamaican runs to keep the title of world's fastest male Sunday night.

THE SCENE

Anyone remember the Zika virus?

Yeah, that thing that absolutely no one associated with the Olympics has caught?

Well, here's the deal, and I shared this with you months ago: It's winter here. Not exactly Winnipeg winter here, mind you, with temps dipping no lower than the high 50s at night, but winter nonetheless. The air is crisp, cool and humidity-free, which mosquitoes hate.

Everyone knew this in advance, too. So why did they report it hysterically?

Could it be that, as NBC now admits, negative portrayals of Rio helped ad sales?

Or could it be that scammers and bug-spray companies made millions off the fears?

Oh, my!

LET'S GET PERSONAL

I'm not a beach guy, whether it's Bradenton or anywhere else. But the bus took me past the world-renowned coastlines of southern Rio on this sunny Saturday morning, so I compiled a minute of some pretty neat footage:

https://vimeo.com/178735972

All those people look terrified of mosquitoes, don't they?

THE LOCALS

What's next for Amanda Polk after finally gripping that gold for real?

First things first: The Polk clan is flying back home.

"We're taking the gold back to Pittsburgh!" her father, Ken Polk, shouted my way as we parted Saturday. "We want to share this with everyone!"

ON TAP

Christa Dietzen and the U.S. volleyball team (4-0) vie for a perfect round-robin finish with the finale against China (2-2) Sunday, 4:05 p.m., at The Maracanazinho. The quarterfinal was clinched long ago, so this is largely academic.