Olympics: Phelps Triumphs Again As First Major Doping Cases Revealed

RIO DE JANEIRO, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Augst,2016) - Michael Phelps won a 22nd Olympic gold but doping reared its ugly head again Friday as Chinese swimmer Chen Xinyi and Bulgarian athlete Silvia Danekova became the first major cases of the Rio Games. Chen's failed test after narrowly missing a bronze medal in the women's 100-metre butterfly was announced as athletics headed into the Olympic spotlight needing an antidote to its own doping scandals. But track and field's dented reputation was hit by the announcement that Danekova had failed a doping test of her own, with Bulgarian television saying she tested positive for the blood booster EPO.

The news came before the first track and field events of the Games on Friday, with three gold medals up for grabs at the Olympic stadium. In the pool, Phelps was magnificent again in retaining his 200m individual medley title, leaving old rival Ryan Lochte stranded in fifth place.

Even second place Kosuke Hagino was nearly two seconds back. Afterwards, the 31-year-old waved four fingers to show his four gold medals so far in Rio. That has taken him to an incredible 22 Olympic titles and 26 medals overall.