From Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte's final Olympic showdown, to Simone Biles and Aly Raisman taking center stage, Day 6 of the Rio Olympics on Thursday is an exciting one for viewers and Olympians alike.
Here are five things to watch during Day 6 of the Rio Games:
1. Phelps and Lochte Compete in Final Olympic Showdown
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte faced off in what was likely their final Olympic showdown in the 200-meter individual medley Thursday, ending a 13-year rivalry that has been one of the greatest in swimming history.
They are the top two all-time performers in the event, and in their final showdown, Phelps decisively won his 22nd Olympic gold medal, while Lochte finished fifth, short of medaling.
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Lochte came first in his heat Wednesday, clocking in at 1:57.38 in the 200-meter individual medley, one of his best events at the Olympics. He won silver in 2004 and 2012 and bronze in 2008.
Phelps, who won his 20th and 21st gold medals on Tuesday, also won his heat with a time of 1:58.41. Though his qualifying time was slower than Lochte's, Phelps pulled ahead in Wednesday's IM semifinal, taking first to his teammate's second-fastest time.
Before Phelps and Lochte could go at it in the pool, Phelps swam in the 100m butterfly heat placing second with a time of 51.60.
Katie Ledecky swam the preliminaries of the 800 freestyle Thursday afternoon. She came in first in 8:12.86, beating the Olympic record.
The 19-year-old American is the heavy favorite to win the grueling race Friday, which would give her a sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyles for the first time since Debbie Meyers of the U.S. in 1968.
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How to Watch: See Ledecky and Phelps live on your smartphone or desktop computer. Coverage of the preliminary heats begin at 12 pm ET.
2. Biles, Raisman Soar to 1-2 Finish
Simone Biles lived up to all the expectations, winning gold in the individual all-around Thursday.
It’s her second gold medal at the Rio Olympics, and it gives the United States a fourth straight victory in the event.
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Biles led the United States to a gold in the team event on Tuesday, and still has individual medals in her sights on floor exercise, balance beam and vault.
Aly Raisman came back with a strong beam routine and floor exercise to win silver ahead of Russia’s Aliya Mustafina, the 2012 bronze medalist.
See Past Highlights: Biles is even more stunning in slow-motion
3. Local Swimmer Ryan Murphy Wins His Second Gold Medal
Ryan Murphy, of Evergreen Park, won his second Olympic gold medal in the men's 200m backstroke, finishing the final event in 1:53.62, more than a full second ahead of the silver medalist.
On Wednesday he competed in the men’s 200m backstroke heats, where he came in fourth with a time of 1:56.29. He finished fourth in the semifinals with a time of 1:55.15, qualifying for Thursday’s final event.
He also set an Olympic record and won the United States' third swimming gold medal in Rio by taking the 100-meter backstroke Monday in 51.97 seconds.
How to Watch: Catch live coverage of the finals here or tune into NBC 5 prime time beginning at 8 p.m. CT.
4. Illinois' Madison Keys Advances to Singles Semifinals
Rock Island's Madison Keys is headed to the women's singles semifinals as the only American remaining in the event.
After winning her third-round match against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro Tuesday, Keys soared to victory against Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1 Thursday.
The two were supposed to battle Wednesday morning but the match was rescheduled for Thursday due to rain.
Keys, a 21-year-old making her Olympic debut, continues to be the only American remaining in the singles after Serena Williams was knocked out of the Olympics Tuesday in a shocking upset loss against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.
How to Watch: The match was rescheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. CT. Watch live coverage online here.
5. Hurley Sisters, U.S. Finish Fifth in Women's Team Epee
Defending bronze medalists and U.S. sisters Courtney and Kelley Hurley competed in their last chance at a medal in the Rio Games Thursday, but fell just shy of medaling.
Team USA finished fifth in the women's team epee event, defeating South Korea in the placement 5-6 round. The Hurley sisters were part of the team that won bronze during the 2012 Games.
Both Kelley and Courtney competed in a match against France, where they won by 32-28. They also competed in the match against South Korea, alongside teammate Katharine Holmes, winning by 22-18.
The loss marks the sisters' final appearance in the Rio Games after but both failed to medal during their individual matches over the weekend.
