THE United States closed the Rio Olympics swimming competition with a final dominating flourish, sweeping the medley relay events and sending Michael Phelps out on a triumphant note.

    The women’s 400-meter medley relay was first, and the American quartet of backstroker Kathleen Baker, breaststroker Lilly King, butterflyer Dana Vollmer and freestyler Simone Manuel delivered an emphatic victory in a time of 3:53.13.

    The men’s medley relay followed with its own moment of glory, maintaining an all-time perfect Olympic record in the event when the U.S. has participated. Double gold medalist Ryan Murphy led off on backstroke, followed by Cody Miller on breaststroke, Phelps on butterfly and Nathan Adrian swimming the freestyle leg.

    After Murphy delivered a world-record breaking backstroke leg, the writing was seemingly on the wall. Phelps did his part in the third leg, pressing ahead of Great Britain and setting up Adrian to bring home the gold with an Olympic-record time of 3:27.95.

    It was the final competitive swim for Phelps, who leaves the stage after five Olympic Games as by far the most decorated Olympian of all-time with 23 gold medals and 28 overall.

    The 31-year-old Phelps furthered his legend by winning five gold and one silver at the Rio Games after coming out of retirement in 2014.

    Phelps said his Olympic career is done after Rio.

    “I am not coming back in four years,” he told reporters, via USA Today, after winning the silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly race Friday night — his last individual event of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio.

    The best-case scenario for any legendary athlete is to go out as a champion or playing at a high level. Phelps has done both in Rio. It would be detrimental to himself and his legacy to prolong his career and risk being beaten, perhaps handily, four years from now by younger and better swimmers.

    Even though he’s been nearly unbeatable over the last week, Phelps will be 35 when the Tokyo Olympics begin.

    His career medal count stands at 28, including 23 golds. Both figures are Olympic records, and neither is likely to be broken. For context, Phelps’ 28 medals are 14 more than any other Olympian in history. He’s also won more than twice as many golds as anyone else. His 23 golds are more than 150 nations have in Olympic history.

    If that wasn’t enough, Phelps has won Olympic gold in the 200-meter individual medley four times — the International Olympic Committee might as well rename the event after him.

    His dominance in Brazil has afforded him the perfect exit from swimming.

    (SD-Agencies)