If you come at the king (of gold medals), you best not miss.

Chad le Clos should have heeded the advice of The Wire's Omar Little when he goaded Michael Phelps before the men's 200m butterfly final.

Despite an impressive air boxing routine prior to the semis, the South African swimmer not only lost that race to Phelps, but on Tuesday in the final, le Clos failed to even medal as Phelps took gold.

Phelps and le Clos swam in adjacent lanes, and while Phelps stayed focused with his eyes straight ahead, le Clos took passing glances at the 20-time gold medalist as Phelps extended his lead.

It was late in the race that it looked like le Clos realized the mistake he made riling up the most decorated Olympian of all-time.

Image: David Ramos/Getty Images

Image: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

What's that look on Chad Le Clos' face? ... Not gold #ThingsMichaelPhelpsShouldSay — Lee (@Leah_Leslie23) August 10, 2016

Somebody changed Chad le Clos' Wikipedia page and it's the best #swimming #Olympics pic.twitter.com/DprUcQXN9W — Pat Bradley (@PatBradley_) August 10, 2016

Here ya go, Le Clos pic.twitter.com/a3n5REfHKe — Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) August 10, 2016

Hey Le Clos pic.twitter.com/ZyC96nd2FU — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 10, 2016

When Le Clos doesn't medal 🙃 pic.twitter.com/yEl7Udlw2r — Morgs (@reitz_morgan) August 10, 2016

EAT THIS FREEDOM, LE CLOS — Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) August 10, 2016

Le Clos but no cigar. #Phelps. — Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayFRS) August 10, 2016

EXCLUSIVE REPLAY: Michael Phelps beats rival Chad le Clos to reclaim 200m butterfly goldhttps://t.co/gfHfiW8Ugo — SB Nation (@SBNation) August 10, 2016

BONUS: Michael Phelps is a beast