Phelps secures eighth gold

BEIJING – One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Yep, Michael Phelps got them all.

Phelps wrapped up the greatest Olympics anyone has had, capturing his record-breaking eighth gold medal today by helping the United States win the 400-meter medley relay – in yet another world-record time, too.

“Nothing is impossible,” Phelps said. “With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination, and that’s something I learned and something that helped me.”

Phelps swam the third leg, the butterfly, the same stroke he won Saturday for No. 7, which tied Mark Spitz’s Olympics record and won him a $1 million bonus from a sponsor. This victory pushed him past Spitz, alone with the mark of most gold medals at a single Olympics. He’d already claimed the title of most career golds a few days before. His tally is up to 14, five ahead of Spitz and others.

That’s it for this meet, though. He’s finally done after nine dazzling days at the Water Cube. Look out, London, because who knows what Phelps will plan for an encore in 2012.

Phelps’ fabulous finish topped a busy middle weekend of the Beijing Games that also featured Usain Bolt’s dash to a world record in the 100 meters Saturday night.

Also this morning, Romania’s Constantina Tomescu-Dita ran away from the rest of the leaders near the halfway mark of the women’s marathon, winning by 22 seconds. Although skies were grey, it was mostly clouds, keeping temperatures down to the delight of runners.

Back at the Water Cube, 41-year-old Dara Torres came oh-so-close to capturing a gold medal in the 50 freestyle, finishing second by 0.01 seconds. Still, silver was terrific for the mom who thought she’d retired a few years ago, only to dive back in and become America’s first five-time swimming Olympian.

Then Torres was part of the 400 medley relay squad that finished behind Australia. That silver increased her total to three medals here and 12 for her career. In the morning’s other final, Oussama Mellouli won Tunisia’s first Olympic swimming gold medal, denying Aussie Grant Hackett’s bid for a third consecutive title in the 1,500 freestyle.

Men’s basketball

By beating Spain, the “Redeem Team” clinched first place in its group. The way they did it, though, shows they truly are a force.

Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony each scored 16 points and the Americans made 48 percent of their 3-pointers to rout the reigning world champions.

An emotional Yao Ming scored 25 points to lead China past Dirk Nowitzki and Germany 59-55 to reach the brink of the medal round.

Men’s volleyball

The U.S. beat China in three sets, but the bigger news was coach Hugh McCutcheon rejoining the team a week after a knife attack that killed his father-in-law and wounded his mother-in-law. The woman, Barbara Bachman, arrived in her home state of Minnesota on Friday for treatment at the Mayo Clinic.

The Americans went 3-0 without their coach, clinching a spot in the quarterfinals before he returned.

Tennis

Roger Federer is going home with a gold medal. The Williams sisters could, too.

Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka took the men’s doubles title, while Venus and Serena Williams clinched at least a silver medal in doubles.

The Williams sisters beat Ukraine’s Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko to advance to the gold-medal match against Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual. Federer and Wawrinka beat Sweden’s Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3. Novak Djokovic beat American James Blake for bronze in men’s singles.

Boxing

Americans Shawn Estrada and Luis Yanez lost, leaving only two U.S. fighters in the tournament.

Yanez tied his match against Mongolia’s Serdamba Purevdorj after three rounds, but couldn’t pull it out.

Estrada lost to James Degale, the hard-punching Brit known as “Chunky.”