Golden! Michael Phelps Makes Olympic History with 19th Medal

Phelps wins career 19th medal in 4X200 relay

Michael Phelps has become the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Phelps earned a record 19th career medal — his 15th gold — with a first-place finish in the 4x200 freestyle relay. Phelps anchored the race alongside teammates Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwer and Ricky Berens. Lochte built up a big lead early on that held for the rest of the race. Team USA finished with a time of 6 minutes, 59.70 seconds. France took silver at 7:02.77 and China bronze with a time of 7:06.30.

Earlier Tuesday, Phelps barely missed a gold in the 200m butterfly, but earned a silver that tied the record for most decorated Olympic athlete — sharing the honor with gymnast Larisa Latynina,  who racked up her 18 under the flag of the former Soviet Union.

After South Africa's Chad le Clos edged Phelps at the wall for the gold in the 200m butterfly, Phelps flipped his cap in disgust and buried his face in his hands, The Associated Press reported. Japan's Takeshi Matsuda took the bronze.

Also Tuesday, American Allison Schmitt won the gold in 200m free. Her 1:53:61 performance was an Olympic record. Camille Muffat of France took the silver and Bronte Barratt of Australia won bronze. American phenom Missy Franklin, who was hoping for her third medal of the Games, instead placed fourth.

And the American swim team scored another medal in the 200m individual medley. Caitlin Leverenz, an Arizona native, took bronze with her time of 2 minutes, 8.95 seconds. China won gold and Australia silver.

In other big Olympic news, the U.S. women's gymnastics team recaptured its glory by winning the team's first gold medal since the Magnificent Seven's reign at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The U.S. men's volleyball team, which won its first gold in 20 years at the Beijing Games, beat Germany 25-23, 25-16, 25-20 at Earls Court.

The U.S. men's basketball team crushed Tunisia 110-63 after a close first half. The second half, which saw Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love scoring 16 points each, with Kevin Durant adding 13, was a spectacular blowout.

The United States' defending men's Olympic beach volleyball champions, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, defeated Spain's Adrian Gavira and Pablo Herrera in three sets in today's preliminary round match, pulling a 21-16 win.

And Team USA's women's soccer team notched a 1-0 win over North Korea at Old Trafford and next play in the quarterfinals.

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