PIECES OF EIGHT

Time Staff Writer BEIJING -- Michael Phelps knew what he was talking about all these years about being the first Michael Phelps and not the second Mark Spitz. He won five individual events and three relays, and needed Lezak’s cliffhanger of an anchor against French star Alain Bernard and then the classic, and controversial, finish on Saturday morning in the 100 butterfly, out-touching Milorad “Mike” Cavic of Serbia, winning by 1/100th of a second “It’s been nothing but fun,” Phelps said. Said Australian distance legend Grant Hackett, who earlier had finished second in the 1,500: “Michael Phelps, you can’t put it in words.... -- [email protected] -- Most golds Michael Phelps has won more gold medals than any Olympian: 14 MICHAEL PHELPS U.S., swimming 2004-2008 9 LARISA LATYNINA USSR, gymnastics 1956-1964 9 CARL LEWIS U.S., track and field 1984-1996 9 PAAVO NURMI Finland, track 1920-1928 9 MARK SPITZ U.S., swimming 1968-1972 Most medals Michael Phelps is second in Olympic medals won: 18 LARISA LATYNINA USSR, gymnastics 1956-1964 16 MICHAEL PHELPS U.S., swimming 2004-2008 15 NIKOLAY ANDRIANOV USSR, gymnastics 1972-80 -- Note: Cross-country skier Bjorn Daehlie of Norway holds the Winter Games record for most gold medals won, most individual golds, most medals won and most individual medals. -- SWIMMING Men’s 400M Medley Relay *--* Medal winners G: United States Time: 3:29.34 S: Australia Time: 3:30.04 B: Japan Time: 3:31.18 *--* -- SWIMMING Men’s 1,500M Freestyle *--* Medal winners G: Oussama Mellouli Time: 14:40.84 S: Grant Hackett Time: 14:41.53 B: Ryan Cochrane Time: 14:42.69 *--* -- SWIMMING Women’s 50M Freestyle *--* Medal winners G: Britta Steffen Time: 24.06 S: Dara Torres Time: 24.07 B: Cate Campbell Time: 24.17 *--* -- SWIMMING Women’s 400M Medley Relay *--* Medal winners G: Australia Time: 3:52.69 S: United States Time: 3:53.30 B: China Time: 3:56.11 *--* -- Coverage Bill Plaschke: With his butterfly leg, Michael Phelps kicked the U.S. relay team from third to first -- and himself into Olympic lore.