BEIJING (Reuters) - Michael Phelps carved his name among the Olympic greats on Tuesday, smashing another world record in the pool to join Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis in an elite group on a record nine career golds.
An imperious victory in the 200 meters freestyle also gave the 23-year-old American his third gold in Beijing as he seeks to overtake Spitz’s other record, seven golds at a single Games.
“The ball’s rolling,” he said in his usual laid-back style, after carving almost a full second off his own world record. “We just need to keep that ball rolling.”
Togo won its first Olympic medal, in kayaking, and North Korea won a rare gold, but the record books will remember Phelps on Tuesday for another powerful performance at the Water Cube.
Phelps joined compatriots Lewis and Spitz, as well as “Flying Finn” distance runner Paavo Nurmi and Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina with a total of nine golds. He could overtake them all on Wednesday when he swims in two more finals.
“To be tied for the most Olympic golds of all time, with those names in Olympic history … it is a pretty amazing accomplishment,” he said.
Phelps led an American fightback against Chinese dominance of the medal table on day four, the U.S. team winning three out of four golds on offer in the pool.
They picked up another when a hunter from Texas, Walton Eller, beat an Italian policeman to first place in the men’s double trap shooting.
China struck back with gold in the men’s team gymnastics, an elegant victory in the women’s 10 meter synchronized platform diving, a fencing gold in the men’s individual saber and another weightlifting title.
By early evening they led the Americans 13 golds to seven.
The hosts have spared no expense in staging the Games and preparing their athletes. Nothing would be sweeter than toppling the Americans off the top of the final medals table, after coming second in Athens.
They have dominated the weightlifting, won all three diving golds so far and picked up victories in shooting and judo.
The gymnastics victory was among the sweetest.
Gold medalists in Sydney, the Chinese failed to win a medal in Athens. This time they stormed to victory in front of an ecstatic crowd, led by double world all-round champion Yang Wei, who called it “a glory for China.”
Little has been left to chance by organizers desperate to make a good impression, with cheerleaders being used to fill vacant seats in several venues.
Organizers also admitted some of the opening ceremony fireworks were pre-recorded and rebroadcast on the night to enhance the event’s televised choreography.
In the country’s far northwest, three security guards were stabbed in the third attack in Xinjiang province in just over a week. Muslim separatists are the likeliest suspects, and security has been visibly tightened at the Games venues.
