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Michael Phelps ties 2,168-year-old Olympic record, apparently

Most sports records are a couple days, years, or -- maybe -- decades old.

<p><span style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">USA's Michael Phelps kisses a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro</span></p>

Most sports records are a couple days, years, or -- maybe -- decades old.

But Tuesday night, when Michael Phelps won the 200 meter butterfly (watch video here) and his 12th individual Olympic title, he tied a much, much older record, according to SB Nation.

Phelps may have tied Leonidas of Rhodes, who was the first famous Olympic sprinter, but he still has more gold medals. During the ancient Olympics, SB Nation says winners received crowns of olive leaves, not medals.

RELATED: Weighing the gold: Michael Phelps versus the world

Phelps has a number of other records: the most medals of any athlete in Olympic history, the most gold medals in any one Olympic Games (he had eight in Beijing), as well as world records in a number of events including the 100m and 200m butterfly, the 400m individual medley, and the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.

PHOTOS: Michael Phelps through the years

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