“It’s tough to put into words right now,” Phelps said. “I did everything I wanted to do. I finished my career the way I wanted to, and I don’t care what anyone says, if I can say that, it’s all that matters.” With the US men unbeaten in the 4x100m medley relay in Olympic competition, the race was a coronation for the man Serbian swimmer Milorad Cavic called “the king”.

Young US swim star Missy Franklin has said she is ready to follow in Michael Phelps’s golden footsteps after she collected four gold medals and broke two world records on her Olympic debut in London.

Over the eight-day swim program, the sparkling 17-year-old – who smatters each interview with the word “awesome”, won the 100m and 200m backstroke titles, plus golds with the 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay teams.

She broke Kirsty Coventry’s three-year-old women’s 200m backstroke world record and on Saturday swam the opening backstroke leg of the 4x100m medley relay which enhanced the world record set by China in 2009.

Franklin will be just 21 at the next summer games in Rio de Janeiro, and has proved she has the potential to win many more titles and has learned from watching Phelps end his career in London to bow out with 18 Olympic golds.

Franklin insists she has picked up numerous tips from watching Phelps bring down the curtain on his career with four gold medals and two silvers in London to finish as the most decorated Olympian of all time.

“Getting to know Michael, to cheer for him, to watch him and see him become the most decorated Olympian of all time has been awesome,” she said.

“It is so inspiring for me and gives me so much motivation.”

“I don’t think his shoes will ever be filled. I think his footsteps are huge, but maybe I can make little paths of my own next to his.” She added.