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Phelps: Three golds now
"I just wanted to get out there and try and hold on."
Michael Phelps
Men's 200m result:
Gold: Michael Phelps (US) 1:42.96 (WR)
Silver: Park Tae-Hwan (Kor) 1:44.85
Bronze: Peter Vanderkaay (US) 1:45.14
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Michael Phelps secured his third gold medal of the 2008 Olympics - and a slice of history - with an imperious display in the men's 200m freestyle on Tuesday.
Phelps bettered his own world record as he won in 1min 42.96secs at Beijing's Water Cube.
But as well as it being his third gold medal of these Games, it was the ninth of his Olympic career and he now joins athlete Carl Lewis, swimmer Mark Spitz, runner Paavo Nurmi and Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina as the greatest Olympians of all-time.
Phelps said: "To be tied for the most Olympic golds of all time with those names in Olympic history is an amazing accomplishment.
"I didn't even know until Bob (coach Bob Bowman) reminded me of it right after the 200 free. He said 'You've tied it.' It's pretty cool. It's certainly an honour. I've been able to spend some time with Carl Lewis and exchange a few words with Spitz here and there.''
Korea's Tae-hwan Park won silver, with Phelps' team-mate Peter Vanderkaan claiming the bronze.
Phelps remains on course for eight gold medals - a tally which if obtained would beat Spitz's record of seven golds in one Games, which he achieved back in 1972.
Difficult
"I wanted to try and get out into open water and I was in the outside lane so it was kind of difficult for the others to see me,'' added Phelps.
"I just wanted to get out there and try and hold on. I knew Tae-hwan was going to have a good last 50, so I tried to start as far ahead as I could in the first 100 to 150.''
Briton Robbie Renwick had done well just to reach the final but could make little impression and finished down in eighth in 1:47.47.
However, just being in the same race as Phelps proved a thrill.
"I saw him miles ahead and I was just focusing on my own race,'' said Renwick. "It's a good result for me.
"I'm only 20 years old and getting all the experience and hopefully by 2012 I will be at my peak.
"It's pretty cool to say I have been in that race. It's not every day you can say you are in an Olympic final. It's an experience money can't buy. It's priceless.''
