By Peter Auf der Heyde Aug 17, 2008, 5:25 GMT
Beijing - Michael Phelps on Sunday won his eighth gold medal of the meet on the final day of the swimming competition at the Beijing Olympics - with the other gold medals of the day going to German Britta Steffen, Tunisian Oussama Mellouli and the Australian 4x100m medley relay.
Phelps' eighth medal, achieved with the US men's 4x100m medley relay team in world record time in the final swim, saw him become the most successful athlete at an Olympic Games, breaking Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
In the first swim of the morning Steffen ensured herself the swimming sprint double, winning in Olympic record time of 24.06 seconds, a day after striking gold in the 100m freestyle.
Silver went to 41-year-old Dara Torres of the US in a time of 24.07, while Australian Cate Campbell took bronze in a time of 24.17.
The German gave much of the credit for her performance to her psychologist.
'I really worked a lot with my psychologist. When I was on the blocks this time I didn't feel like everyone else was better than me. I know now that this is rubbish, I can do this,' she said.
In the next race Tunisian Oussama Mellouli denied Australian Grant Hackett a place in the history books as he won the Olympic gold medal in the men's 1,500m freestyle in a time of 14 minutes 40.84 seconds.
Hackett was attempting to become the first swimmer to win the 1,500m three times in a row. He won silver in 14:41.53, while Canadian Ryan Cochrane took bronze in 14:42.69.
Mellouli only returned from a lengthy doping ban earlier this year after having lost the gold and silver medal he won at the world championships in Melbourne in 2007.
Mellouli said the last year had been very difficult for him. 'I faced so many problems and had to train a lot by myself. It was not an easy time, but I am so happy that I have now managed to win this gold medal.'
Hackett, who is widely expected to announce his retirement from competitive swimming, said that he would not make any decision at the moment. 'I will not decide anything now,' he said.
The Australian women's 4x100m medley relay team shaved 3.05 seconds off their own world record when they won in 3:52.69. The US took silver in 3:53.30, while bronze went to China in 3:56.11.
Australian Jessicah Schipper said that the team had gone into the race believing they could break the world record. 'It's great to get a world record and by three seconds.
'We were joking in the marshalling area that we could take a couple of seconds off, but when we touched and saw we had done it, it was an amazing feeling.'
Torres swam in the US team just 37 minutes after taking silver in the 50m freestyle. The relay gave her her third medal of the meet and her 12th overall, equalling Jenny Thompson's women's record of 12 Olympic swimming medals.
'It's an awesome feat because she is the most decorated swimmer,' the mother-of-one said.
In the final race of the Olympic swimming competition, the US men's 4x100m medley team won in a world record time of 3:29.34, beating their own best mark from 2004 by 1.34 seconds.
Silver went to Australia in 3:30.04, who were also under the old world record, while Japan took bronze in 3:31.18.
It was the 25th world record to fall in the Water Cube.
Phelps said he could not really describe what it meant to win eight medals. 'I'm lost for words. My team-mates were amazing. These guys made it possible. The relay really made it possible. It shows how much teamwork and togetherness we have. It's amazing to be a part of it.'
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