Le Clos failed in his bid to turn the tables but was happy not to have been beaten by him again either.

JOHANNESBURG - South African swimmer Chad le Clos tied in second place with American Michael Phelps and Hungary's Laslo Sleh in the 100m butterfly.

The three all shared second place with 51.14 seconds, coming second to Joseph Schooling at 50.39 seconds.

Schooling won the men's 100 meters butterfly to secure Singapore's first Olympic gold medal and deny Phelps a 23rd in the last individual race of the American's extraordinary career.

Le Clos, who lost his 200m butterfly title to Phelps on Tuesday, failed in his bid to turn the tables but was happy not to have been beaten by him again either.

The tie, although astonishing, was not unprecedented in top level swimming.

BREAKING NEWS @chadleclos has won SILVER in the 100m butterfly (51.14) for @teamsa16's 5th medal of #Rio2016. JS pic.twitter.com/3XqWbJaByk — EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 13, 2016

This is a 5th medal for Team South Africa in the Olympics.

Known at home for smashing national records and taking multiple titles in regional competitions, Schooling had held the hopes of Singapore, a Southeast Asian island nation of less than six million, which had only won two silvers and two bronzes since it joined the Olympic fold in 1948.

"I'm just ecstatic. I don't think it has set in yet. It's just crazy," said Schooling.

Phelps, who now has 27 medals, had been hoping to win the event for the fourth successive Games but his Midas touch deserted him and he had to settle for another colour medal for the first time in Rio.

His tally now reads 22 golds, three silvers and two bronzes. He has one event remaining, the 4x100 medley relay on Saturday, before bowing out.

"I don't know if I've (ever) been in a tie, so a three way tie is pretty wild," said Phelps.

"I saw a second next to my name and then I looked up again and I looked over at Laszlo and Chad and hey we all tied. We're all second that's kind of cool.

"It's kind of special, and a decent way to finish my last individual race. Can't complain too much," he said.

Additional information by Reuters