London 2012 day 6 finals: Phelps beats the curse of the three-peat

At last it went, after both Phelps and Kitajima had tried twice, and others before that, Phelps tonight became first male swimmer ever to win the same individual event at three Olympic Games. Gold to Phelps and the US in the men’s 200 IM, 1:54.27 ahead of Ryan Lochte in 1:54.90 and Laszlo Cseh (HUN) in 1:56.22, Lochte having tried to manage both 200 back and 200 IM, winning bronze with a time of 1:53.94 in the men’s 200 backstroke behind Tyler Clary (USA) in a new Olympic Record of 1:53.41, and Ryosuke Irie of Japan in 1:53.78. Rebecca Soni set a new World Record in the women’s 200 breaststroke, clocking 2:19.59 ahead of Satomi Suzuki (JPN) in 2:20.72 and Iulia Efimova (RUS) in 2:20.92. Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands won gold in the women’s 100 freestyle, setting a new Olympic Record of 53.00 ahead of Aliaksandra Herasimenia (BLR) in 53.38 and Yi Tang (CHN) in 53.44. Phelps also went 50.86 and quickest in the men’s 100 butterfly semifinal, Elizabeth Beisel 2:06.18 and quickest in the women’s 200 backstroke, and Cielo and Jones 21.54 and quickest in the men’s 50 freestyle, James “The Missile” Magnussen here missing out in 22.00 and 11th.