Phelps becomes leading Olympian as more records tumble (1st Lead)

By Peter Auf der Heyde Aug 13, 2008, 11:06 GMT

Beijing - Michael Phelps rewrote the Olympic record books on Wednesday when he won his 10th and 11th gold medals in another awesome swimming session as six more world records tumbled.

Phelps and China continue to dominate the medals table - the hosts won four more golds with success in the women's gymnastics team event, women's weightlifting, men's synchronised diving and women's shooting.

China now have 17 golds, seven ahead of second-placed USA, whose 10 golds include the five Phelps has now won in Beijing.

The American superstar became the all-time leading Olympian in a world record time in the men's 200m butterfly and then led the US 4x200m relay team into a new dimension in the sport.

His 11th gold medal lifted him two clear atop the all-time list, past Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, Finnish athlete Paavo Nurmi, US swimmer Mark Spitz and US athlete Carl Lewis, who all have nine.

Phelps said the realization that he had made history left him speechless. 'Growing up, all I wanted to do was become an Olympian. And now to be the leading Olympian. Well, I suppose that's a pretty cool title to have.'

Phelps now needs three golds from his remaining three races to win an unprecedented eight golds at one Games.

His time of 1 minute 52.03 seconds in the 200m butterfly was six hundredths faster than the record he set at the world championships in Melbourne last year, and his 25th career world record.

And he believes he can set even quicker times. He added: 'I couldn't see anything for the last 100 metres, my goggles pretty much filled up with water, it just kept getting worse and worse through the race.

''I know I can go faster, but I had some water in my goggles and I was having trouble seeing the walls. But it's fine, I wanted to break the record. I wanted to go 1:51 or better, but for the circumstances I guess it's not too bad.'

Less than an hour later, Phelps helped the US 4x200m freestyle relay team become the first team to swim under seven minutes as they took an astonishing 4.68 seconds off their own world record set in Melbourne at the world championships last year.

The US won in a time of 6:58.56, while Russia took silver in 7:03.70. Australia was third in 7:04.98.

Stephanie Rice of Australia won gold in the women's 200m medley, edging Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry on the final metres and earlier in the session, Federica Pellegrini won the women's 200m freestyle gold with another world record-breaking time of 1:54.82.

Slovenian Sara Isakovic won an unlikely first-ever swimming medal for her country as she took silver, 0.15 off the pace, while Pang Yiaying was a popular bronze medal winner for the hosts in a time 1:55.05 as all three medallists bettered the old record.

And the records also fell in semi-finals with Frenchman Alain Bernard taking back the 100m freestyle world record he had lost two days earlier to Australian Eamon Sullivan who reclaimed the record in the next semi-final, when he swam a 47.05.

Away from the swimming China's glorious games continue with four more golds. First their women's gymnastic team prevailed over reigning world champion the United States to win a first ever Olympic gold medal in the event.

Liu Chunhong followed that up with success in the women's weightlifting 69kg class, Wang Feng and Qin Kai won the men's 3m synchronised diving and Chen Ying won the women's Shooting 25m Air Pistol

In cycling, former world champion Kristin Armstrong of the United States captured gold in the women's road time trial and there was Swiss gold for Fabian Cancellara in the men's individual time trial.

While in wrestling Steeve Guenot of France won the men's Greco- Roman 66kg class and Manuchar Kvirkelia won Georgia's first Beijing gold in the 74kg mens.