SWIMMING:MICHAEL PHELPS remains on track for a record eight Olympic titles as the American 4x100 metres freestyle team rallied to notch a thrilling victory yesterday. The US broke the world record with a time of 3:08.24, beating France into silver, while Australia took bronze.

The 23-year-old Phelps maintained his excellent form, but the team had to rally after trailing at the midway point in a tight relay. Jason Lezak beat Alain Bernard to the wall to spark wild celebrations.

Phelps' dream of breaking Mark Spitz's record of seven golds in a single Games appeared to be doomed when the French took over the lead. Phelps celebrated wildly as he stayed on track for eight golds. Lezak, the oldest American male swimmer at 32, pulled back over the closing strokes and outstretched Bernard by a fingertip. "I was going nuts," Phelps, who swam the lead-off leg, said. "As soon as (Lezak) came off that last wall, I started going crazy. We're a team."

The Americans had lost the 4x100 metres freestyle relay to Australia and South Africa at the last two Games, having previously won it seven straight times.

Earlier yesterday, Phelps came third in the semi-final of the 200 metres freestyle. He can now focus on single-handedly winning a third gold in that event after the closest of shaves at the second hurdle.

Meanwhile, Eamon Sullivan of Australia broke the 100 metres freestyle world record on the first leg of the final of 4x100 metres freestyle relay yesterday. Sullivan clocked 47.24 seconds to beat the previous world record of 47.50 set by France's Alain Bernard at the European championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in March.

Japan's Kosuke Kitajima settled an old score with US rival Brendan Hansen with an emphatic victory in the 100 metres breaststroke final yesterday. Kitajima's relationship with Hansen has been frosty since he was accused of using an illegal dolphin kick when he captured the 100-200 breaststroke Olympic double in Athens in 2004. The 25-year-old clocked 58.91 seconds, smashing Hansen's world record, and becoming the first man to win the event twice.

"It was perfect. It was the ideal race. I've been looking forward to these Olympics for so long," said Kitajima, who had made it no secret that beating Hansen was as much his target as winning gold. "I felt special in Athens, I feel special again. I went in with a relaxed feeling and saved some energy for the final push. It went exactly as I planned."

From the buzzer, Kitajima stamped his authority on a tense final with swift, powerful strokes cementing his position as Asian's greatest ever swimmer.

It was another woeful Olympics performance by Hansen, the fourth-placed finisher, who graciously accepted defeat by his accomplished rival. "I told him it was awesome," said Hansen, who has been at odds with Kitajima since team-mate Aaron Peirsol accused the Japanese of cheating.

"You have to tip your hat to a guy who can race like that. It's a hell of a swim in a pressure-packed race. He's a true champion."

European champion Alexander Dale Oen of Norway was second in 59.20 and Frenchman Hugues Duboscq clocked 59.37 for his second successive bronze in the event.

Gold Rush: Phelps's programme

400m individual medley - Gold

4x100m freestyle relay - Gold

200m freestyle final - Today, 03.16

200m butterfly final - Wednesday, 03.21

4x200m freestyle relay - Wednesday, 04.19

200m individual medley - Friday, 03.48

100m butterfly final - Saturday, 03.10

4x100 medley relay final - Sunday, 03.58