Michael Phelps added to his record-setting medal total with a 21st Olympic medal, and teenager Missy Franklin set a world record in the 200-meter backstroke Friday night, adding to the United States team medal count.
Missy Franklin earned her third gold and fourth medal overall at the London Olympics. Meanwhile, Michael Phelps won his final individual race to add to his record Olympic medal count.
Franklin, 17, won in 2:04.06 and blasted past the previous record by nearly a second. The Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry set the mark of 2:04.81 in 2009.
Russia's Anastasia Zueva won the silver medal and America's Elizabeth Beisel the bronze but neither could keep up with the bubbly Franklin, who opened up a body's length over the field after just 75 meters.
On the eve of his retirement, Phelps provided an unforgettable reminder of his incredible talent and determination when he came from seventh at the turn to overpower his rivals and win in a time of 51.21 seconds.
South Africa's Chad le Clos, who beat Phelps in the 200 butterfly final, dead-heated for second with Russia's Evgeny Korotyshkin but neither man could hold Phelps off once he started to roll his giant shoulders and kick his powerful feet.
The victory brings Phelps's career Olympic medal total to 21, more than any other athlete in history. He has said the London Games will be his last world-level swimming competition. Saturday's 4-by-100-meter medley relay will be his last event.
