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  • March 17, 2020 10:19 PM EDT

    RIO DE JANEIRO -- Michael Phelps closed out the Rio Olympics in the only way imaginable. Nick Bosa Super Bowl Jersey .Golden.Phelps put the United States ahead to stay on the butterfly leg of the 4x100-meter medley relay and Nathan Adrian finished it off, giving the most decorated athlete in Olympic history his 23rd career gold medal Saturday night.If that was the end, and Phelps insists it is, what a way to go.He has 28 medals overall, having won five golds and a silver at these games.As Adrian touched the wall to finish off the victory, Phelps gathered the other relay swimmers, Ryan Murphy and Cody Miller, in his arms. One night after his only setback in Rio, an upset loss to Joseph Schooling in the 100 fly, Phelps was back on top.In the stands, his fiancee, Nicole Johnson, bounced along to the music with their son, 3-month-old Boomer, cradled in her arms.Phelps is eager to spend a lot more time with them. He plans to marry Johnson after the Olympics and said he wants to watch his son grow, maybe even dole out a swimming lesson or two.Most of the U.S. swim team was in the stands to watch Phelps finale, including the biggest female star of the games, Katie Ledecky.The 19-year-old Ledecky joked that she was proud to be part of Phelps final Olympics -- twice. He initially retired after the 2012 London Olympics, only to decide about a year later to return to the pool.The comeback endured a huge setback with his second drunken-driving arrest in 2014, which led to Phelps being banned from the world championships the following year. But it also sparked a turnaround in his life. He entered six weeks of inpatient therapy, where he got in touch with some of the issues that seemed to lead him astray outside the pool.He quit drinking, reconnected with his estranged father, got engaged, moved to Arizona with his longtime coach Bob Bowman, and became a father.At 31, he sounds much more adamant when he says his swimming career really is over.Standing atop the medal podium for the 23rd time, listening the The Star-Spangled Banner as hes done so many times before, Phelps teared up a bit and gave a little nod.Then he and his teammates grabbed a sign that said, Thank You Rio.Two-time gold medalist Murphy put the Americans out front with a world-record split on the backstroke -- it counts since he was leading off -- but Britain surged ahead on the breaststroke with its own world-record holder, Adam Peaty.Phelps dove into the pool in second place.He wouldnt be for long.On the return lap, Phelps powered through the water with his whirling butterfly stroke, surging ahead of James Guy to pass off a lead to the anchor Adrian.It wasnt in doubt after that. Adrian pulled away on the freestyle to win in an Olympic-record time of 3 minutes, 27.95 seconds. Britain held on for silver, with Australia nabbing bronze.The victory came just minutes after the womens medley relay gave the United States its 1,000th Olympic gold medal at the Summer Games.A thousandth gold for team USA, said Simone Manuel, who swam the anchor leg for her second gold of the games and second medal of the night. Its a nice number.Kathleen Baker, Lilly King and Dana Vollmer joined Manuel in the historic victory, which came with a time of 3:53.13.Its really special, Manuel said. Sharing that with three other women is just icing on the cake.Australia earned silver, while Denmark took bronze.Earlier in the night, Manuel took silver in the 50 free. She already became the first African-American woman to win an Olympic swimming title with her win in the 100 free.Connor Jaeger gave the U.S. another silver in the 1,500 free, leaving the American with 33 swimming medals in Rio -- matching the highest total since the boycotted Los Angeles Games in 1984.The U.S. also won 33 medals at Sydney in 2000.The final two individual golds of the games went to Pernille Blume of Denmark in the 50 freestyle, her countrys first swimming victory since 1948, and Italys Gregorio Paltrinieri in the grueling 1,500 free.The night, though, belonged to Phelps, who walked out of the arena for final time carrying an American flag handed to him by his mother from her front-row seat, right next to Johnson and little Boomer.With a gold medal around his neck.The only way imaginable.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . Deion Sanders Super Bowl Jersey . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Adrian Colbert Super Bowl Jersey . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. http://www.authenticsf49erspro.com/C-j-beathard-49ers-jersey/ .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Whitney Engen went to the Womens World Cup last year but didnt play in a single match. A year later at the Olympics, the 28-year-old American got her chance on a big stage.Engen was in the starting lineup for the 1-0 victory over France on Saturday night. While most of the attention was on United States goalkeeper Hope Solo, who made her 200th international appearance, Engen was steady at center back.Anytime you get the opportunity to put on our jersey and represent the United States is a tremendous honor. Obviously, the Olympics adds to that, Engen said. I was happy to get some minutes and get my feet wet in an international tournament.United States coach Jill Ellis made the move because defender Julie Johnston was out with a groin injury. Johnston is key to a stellar backline that is considered among the best in the game. During the World Cup last year, the group anchored by Solo went 540 minutes without conceding a goal.That Engen was so capably able to fill in on that solid line is testament to the U.S. teams depth.Mallory Pugh, the 18-year-old sensation who has been steadily winning playing time, was also held out of the match against France in Belo Horizonte because of an ankle injury in the group opener last week.Ellis later described Pughs availability for the match at 50-50. But she didnt need her. The team inserted Crystal Dunn into the lineup.Like Engen, Dunn was making her first start of the Olympics. In fact, both she and Engen were also making their first starts in a major tournament at the senior level. Allie Long, making just her 12th appearance with the senior team, got her second start.Those players are among 11 first-time Olympians on the U.S. national team, which has a decidedly different -- and younger -- look than the squad that won the World Cup.Veteran stars Abby Wambach and Lauren Holiday have retired. Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriquez stayed home becaause of pregnancy. KWaun Williams Super Bowl Jersey. And the roster for Rio de Janeiro was also smaller, at 18 players, than the 23-player squad for the World Cup. So Ellis had to choose her players carefully with an eye on versatility.All 22 players that are here -- the 18 that were selected and the four reserves -- every single one of them could step on this field and play for this team, Engen said. So I knew I had a great cast around me and all I had to do is do my role and they would support me.While Engen was on the World Cup roster, Long stayed home last year, playing for the National Womens Soccer Leagues Portland Thorns. Dunn, the last player cut from the World Cup team, played for the Washington Spirit and was named the leagues most valuable player.The newcomers will be important as the Americans seek their fourth straight Olympic gold medal. Ranked No. 1 in the world, the United States is also vying to become the first to win and Olympics after earning a World Cup title.The team continues to wait for the return of veteran midfielder Meghan Rapinoe, who hasnt played since knee surgery late last year.Rapinoe, playing in her third Olympics, has looked strong in pregame warmups and could play as early as the quarterfinals.With the victory over France, the United States was assured a spot in the quarterfinals. Canada and host Brazil have also gone through to the knockout round with one match remaining in their groups.Weve got a great support staff here that keeps us ready no matter what, Engen said. And I think we knew coming into this tournament it was going to take 22 players to get the gold medal, and at the end of the day were all ready if our name is called.The United States will play Colombia on Tuesday in the final group match in Manaus, more than 1,700 miles away from Rio de Janeiro. ' ' '