US» Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the men»s 4x200m freestyle relay.
Michael Phelps won a record 19th Olympic medal on Tuesday when he joined forces with his US team mates to win the 4×200 metres freestyle relay at London’s Aquatic Centre.
Following his shock defeat in the 200 butterfly final an hour earlier, Phelps surpassed Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina as the most decorated Olympian of all time.
The win provided him with his 15th career gold medal to go with his two silver and two bronze medals.
The US men were overwhelming favourites to win the relay and the result was never in doubt after Ryan Lochte gave them the lead after the lead-off leg.
Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens kept America’s lead by the time Phelps dived in for the anchor leg and he brought them home in a combined time of six minutes, 59.70.
Lochte captured his second gold medal in London after winning the 400 individual medley on the opening day of competition and the fifth of his career.
France, who upset the Americans in the 4×100 freestyle final on Saturday, took the silver medal while China grabbed the bronze after Sun Yang anchored them home.
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