Michael Phelps claimed the 20th and 21st gold medals of his outstanding Olympic career as he reclaimed the top prize in the 200m butterfly at the Rio Games.

Four years ago in London, the ‘Baltimore Bullet’ was denied gold in the 200m butterfly by South African Chad Le Clos but there was no repeat in Brazil.

Phelps had won the title at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and reclaimed it with a block to wall victory in one minute 53.36 seconds.

Masato Sakai of Japan threatened to come from behind to upset the American, finishing four one-hundredths of a second behind in second. Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi took bronze as Le Clos finished outside the medals in fourth.

Phelps admitted afterwards that he had been determined to seize back the gold medal having been denied four years ago, while he also suggesting his running tally of golds is ‘mind-blowing’.

“That’s a lot of medals,” said Phelps. “It’s just insane.

It’s mind-blowing. “I wanted that one back. I came into the pool tonight with a mission and the mission was accomplished.”

Later in the evening, Phelps helped his USA team-mates to win the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, with a superb anchoring performance.

Phelps was only drafted into the relay team at the last minute and, with his compatriots having established a lead, there was never any danger the 31-year-old was going to allow it slip away.

The remarkable swimmer is by no means finished in Rio just yet.

He will meet Le Clos again in the latest instalment of their duel when they compete in the 100m butterfly, while he also he goes in the 4x100m medley relay and 200m individual medley later in the week.

Phelps is 1.91 to land the gold medal in the 100m butterfly while Le Clos is 2.51 to strike back.