Redemption day

Beijing: China won its first women's team gymnastics Olympic gold here on Wednesday after a nightmare performance from Alicia Sacramone dashed US hopes in one of Beijing Games' most keenly anticipated showdowns.

China finished on 188.9 points, 2.375 points ahead of the US on 186.525, with Romania on 181.525.

Chinese head coach Lu Shanzhen said the victory was a historic moment that heralded a new Olympic power in the sport. The win avenged their narrow loss to the American at last year's world championships

But US coach blamed stadium officials for distracting Sacramone who fell off the balance beam.

Earlier in the day at the Water Cube Michael Phelps set a new Olympic gold standard winning the 10th and 11th titles of his Games career and sparking an explosion of world records.

Making history

Phelps swam into history with two triumphs an hour apart, lowering his own world record in the 200m butterfly then leading the United States to a record-shattering victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay - two of six world records in a stunning display of prowess in the pool.

Competing in his third Olympics, Phelps surpassed Olympic legends Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz and Larysa Latynina, who all won nine golds in their careers.

First for Italy

Federica Pellegrini became Italy's first woman swimming gold medallist in the 200m freestyle.

The silver medallist from Athens sliced 0.63sec off the mark she set in the heats on Monday with a time of 1:54.82.

Slovenia's Sara Isakovic, who trained as a youngster in Dubai, was second in 1:54.97 - also under the previous world record - capturing the first Olympic swimming medal for her country.

Australian Stephanie Rice lowered her own world record with a time of 2:08.45 in the women's 200m individual medley - completing a double that opened with a world-record win in the 400m medley.

Swiss world champion Fabian Cancellara won the men's cycling time trial to add to the bronze he won in the road race.

The women's race went to Kristin Armstrong with 49-year-old French great Jeannie Longo denied the dream finish she wanted finishing fourth a mere 1.3 sec behind bronze medallist Karin Thurig of Switzerland.

Far from the conflict in the Caucasus, Georgia won two gold medals with Manuchar Kvirkelia taking the 74kg wrestling title and Irakli Tsirekidze the men's -90kg judo competition to hand strife-torn Georgia a welcome boost.

Argentina and Brazil remained on course for a semifinal showdown in the men's football competition as the final eight sorted themselves out in the last round of Group matches.

World Cup holders Germany hobbled to a 1-1 draw against Belgium in the men's field hockey as defending champions Australia pulverised South Africa 10-0.