Phelps becomes winningest Olympian ever

BEIJING - Michael Phelps has become the winningest Olympic athlete ever, earning his fifth gold medal of the Beijing Games with a world record in the 800-meter freestyle relay.

Phelps swam the leadoff leg of the 800-meter freestyle relay and helping the United States smash the old world record by 4.68 seconds, and earning his 11th career gold medal.

It wasn't a great day for American teams outside of the pool.  China won it's first Olympic gold medal in women gymnastics topping the U.S. in the team competition.

The U.S. men's soccer team was eliminated from the Olympic tournament following a 2-1 loss to Nigeria.

On the diamond, the United States rallied with two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 7-6 lead, but the Americans couldn't hold the lead as South Korea scored two runs in the bottom of the frame to win 8-7 in the Olympic opener for both squads.

Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay led the entire race, winning in 6 minutes, 58.56 seconds. That bettered the old mark of 7:03.24 set by the U.S. at last year’s world championships in Australia.

Russia took the silver in 7:03.70. Australia earned the bronze in 7:04.98.

In the 200-meter butterfly, Phelps touched in 1 minute, 52.03 seconds, breaking his old mark of 1:52.09 set at last year’s world championships in Australia.

It was Phelps’ 10th career gold medal, breaking a tie with Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis and two others for most golds. He is 4-for-4 so far, setting world records in each of his events.
Laszlo Cseh of Hungary took the silver in 1:52.70. Takeshi Matsuda of Japan got the bronze in 1:52.97.

In other swimming news, Federica Pellegrini of Italy won the 200-meter freestyle, lowering her own world record set a day earlier. She won in 1 minute, 54.82 seconds, erasing her previous time of 1:55.45.

Video Phelps wins 10th gold Watch Michael Phelps win the 200-meter butterfly in record fashion. NBCOlympics.com

Sara Isakovic of Slovenia took the silver in 1:54.97. Pang Jiaying of China earned the bronze in 1:55.05, giving the Chinese women their first swimming medal of these games.

American Katie Hoff finished fourth in 1:55.78, the first time in three events she failed to medal.

Gymnastics
China won its first Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics Wednesday, taking the most important title in its rivalry with the Americans.

China finished with 188.9 points in the women’s team final, more than two points ahead of the Americans, who came in as world champions and with the sport’s two best gymnasts.

The Americans lost any shot they had with multiple mistakes on their last two events, and had to settle for silver for a second straight Olympics.

Defending champion Romania was third.

Soccer
The U.S. men's soccer team was eliminated from the Olympic tournament following a 2-1 loss to Nigeria.

American defender Michael Orozco received a red card three minutes into the match after elbowing a Nigerian player, forcing the U.S. to play a man down for the majority of the match.

Promise Issac scored for Nigeria in the 39th minute, and Victor Obinna added another goal in the 80th minute to give the Super Eagles a 2-0 advantage.

Sacha Kjestan scored on a penalty kick for the United States in the 88th minute following a yellow card on the Nigerian keeper.

The Netherlands beat Japan 1-0 in the other Group B match advancing to the quarterfinals along with Nigeria.  The United States and Japan were both eliminated.

Baseball
Lee Jone-wook hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the ninth as South Korea rallied for two runs in the last inning to beat the U.S. 8-7 in the Olympic baseball opener.

The Americans had rallied from a two-run deficit in the top of the ninth.  Matt Brown capped the three-run rally with a two-out, two-run single to give the U.S. a 7-6 lead, but reliever Jeff Stevens couldn't hold the lead for the United States.

Olympics Michael Phelps' successful chase to a record eight gold medals Star breaks fellow American Mark Spitz's 36-year old Olympic record Day Event Result Saturday 400 individual medley Gold Sunday 400 free relay Gold Monday 200 free Gold Tuesday 200 butterfly Gold Tuesday 800 free relay Gold Thursday 200 individual medley Gold Friday 100 butterfly Gold Saturday 400 medley relay Gold

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