For 48 years, former gymnast Larisa Latynina has held the record for most Olympic medals (18). And now that swimmer Michael Phelps is closing in on her record — he helped the United States nab the silver in Sunday's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, an upset loss to France, by the way, for medal No. 17 — Latynina is in London to observe the contemporary icon's pursuit of a once-unthinkable feat.
The Russian closed out her illustrious Olympic career with six gold medals at both the 1960 Rome Summer Games and the 1964 Summer Olympics.
She's expected to be poolside for Phelps' potential record-breaking final.