Disclaimer: The 2012 London Olympic events take place five hours ahead of US EST, but Us Weekly is reporting the results as they happen and before they air on NBC during primetime hours.
Michael Phelps is just one Olympic medal away from being the most-decorated Olympian of all time.
After taking second place and the silver medal in the men's 200-meter Butterfly event on Tuesday, the 27-year-old swimmer earned his second 2012 London Olympics medal. His career count includes six gold, two bronze from the 2004 Athens Olympics and eight gold from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, bringing his grand total to 18.
The Maryland native is currently tied with former Soviet Gymnast Larisa Latynina for the world record of most Olympic medals. Latynina, 77, has held the record since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Even though the London Games are his last chance at medal victory, the athlete, who is set to retire once this Olympics wraps, has a surprisingly relaxed attitude towards his wins.
"Once I hang my suit up I want to be able to look back and say I've done everything I can in my career — whether that's having fifty gold medals or having sixteen total medals," he told Us Weekly back in July at the Olympic Trials. "If I can say I've done everything I've wanted, I think that's really all that matters."
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