Michael Phelps of the United States reacts after winning the final heat for the Men's 200 Meter Butterfly during Day Four of the 2016 US Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink Center on June 29, 2016 in Omaha, Nebraska. [Photo/VCG]

Michael Phelps cleared a major hurdle on the road to Rio on Wednesday, qualifying for a fifth Olympics with a victory that has paved the way to more Games glory.

Inspired, motivated and sober, Phelps heads to Rio thanks to his 200 meters butterfly win at the US Olympic trials with the goal of adding to his staggering record total of 22 medals, including 18 gold, and pen a happy ending to a brilliant career that he feels he denied himself at the 2012 London Olympics.

"Coming back and being able to have the opportunity to finish how I want," said Phelps, of his motivation. "I'm doing this because I wanted to."

For Phelps, this Olympic journey is more important than the destination, a trip into retirement that he is determined to share with his fiancee Nicole and infant son Boomer, who were among the sellout crowd of 14,000 at the CenturyLink Center.