Entertainment Sports Olympics Michael Phelps Breaks the Olympic Medals Record! The 27-year-old swimmer was aiming to make history on Tuesday – and he did! By Maggie Coughlan Maggie Coughlan Maggie Coughlan is a former news editor at PEOPLE. She left PEOPLE in 2014. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 31, 2012 04:40PM EDT Comments Photo: Michael Dalder/Landov The question on everyone’s mind Tuesday was: Would swimmer Michael Phelps break the Olympic record for the most career medals? And he did it! The 27-year-old made history Tuesday when he won his 18th and 19th medals, making him the most decorated Olympian in any sport. He took home the silver for the 200 butterfly and ended the night by winning gold in the 4×200 freestyle relay. [IMAGE “1” “right” “std” ]Phelps’s 19th medal surpassed the previous record holder, Larissa Latynina, a gymnast from the former Soviet Union, who won 18 individual medals, including nine gold in three different Olympic Games, at Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960 and Tokyo in 1964. Latynina is still the only female Olympian to win nine gold medals. Throughout his career, Phelps’ has won 15 gold, two silver and two bronze medals.