STAR



Michael Phelps swam into history as the winningest Olympic athlete ever with his 10th and 11th career gold medals – and five world records in five events at the Beijing Games. He won the 200-meter butterfly, then swam the leadoff of a runaway victory by the U.S. 800 freestyle relay team, which shattered the world mark by more than four seconds and brought him more than halfway to his goal of a record eight gold medals in Beijing.



GYMNASTICS FLOP



The favored U.S. women’s gymnastics team collapsed in the final two events, allowing China to win the gold.



A CYCLING CHAMPION NAMED ARMSTRONG



Kristin Armstrong won the women’s time trial, making her just the second American women’s cyclist ever to become an Olympic champion. Connie Carpenter-Phinney won in Los Angeles in 1984.



MEDALS



In the medal battle between the U.S. and China, the Americans have 29 medals overall through 67 events, 10 of them gold. China has 17 gold and 26 medals overall. The host was helped by its monopoly of the synchronized diving events with a dominating victory in men’s 3-meter springboard, putting it on course for a sweep of all eight diving gold medals.



QUOTE



“Today, I feel like I am a Georgian.” – Brazilian-born Cristine Santanna, who with her Georgian teammate defeated Russia in beach volleyball in a match that came after several days of fighting between Russia and Georgia. Later, Georgian athletes in judo and Greco-Roman wrestling won gold medals – their first golds in Beijing.



CHINESE TAKEOUT



The U.S. men’s soccer team lost 2-1 to Nigeria and was eliminated. … Cat Osterman pitched a no-hitter as the U.S. softball team stretched its winning streak to 16, beating Australia 3-0. … After tying the game in the top of the ninth, the U.S. baseball team gave up the winning run on a sacrifice fly by South Korea, and the Americans dropped their opener 8-7. … Eric Shanteau, who put off surgery for testicular cancer to compete at the Olympics, failed by 0.13 seconds to qualify for a spot in the 200-meter breaststroke. His surgery is scheduled in two weeks. … China played its first Olympic baseball game, losing 10-0 to Canada.



THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHT

Michael Phelps goes for gold medal No. 6 in the 200-meter individual medley at 10:48 a.m. Friday (10:48 p.m. EDT Thursday).