Phelps wins sixth gold medal of the Games

Friday, August 15: It's been another big morning in the Olympic pool for the United States. Unsurprisingly, Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal and and broke his sixth world record of the Games, winning the 200m individual medley which he led from the start.

Ryan Lochte finally came out of Phelps's shadow to win his first individual gold in the 200m backstroke.

The big surprise was Rebecca Soni's victory in the 200m women's breaststroke. The American broke the world record with a time of 2.20.22 and easily beat the Australian favourite, Leisel Jones, who admitted afterwards that she had run out of steam in the closing stages. "I really couldn't breathe that last 50," she said.

It was a remarkable effort from Soni, who only two years ago underwent surgery for irregular heartbeat.

Phelps won the medley in a time of 1.54.23, shaving 0.57secs off his own world record. He has now won the 400m medley, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x100m free relay, 4x200m free relay and the 200m medley, all in world record times.

Minutes after swimming the medley, he was back in the pool for the semi-final of the 100m butterfly which he won, putting him on target for a seventh gold tomorrow. But he will face strong challenges from the Serbian Milorad Cavic, who beat his time in today's semis, and his US team-mate and world record holder, Ian Crocker.

Phelps's final bid for gold will be in the 4x100m medley relay, assuming the US team qualifies.

FIRST POSTED AUGUST 15, 2008