American swimmer Michael Phelps needed a little help from his friends on Monday to keep alive the dream of an unprecedented eight Olympic golds.
Email this page
But a familiar shadow fell over the sporting achievements in China on the third day when a Spanish cyclist became the first competitor to fail a drug test at the Games.
Phelps, who has made the early headlines in China, left the US team second after the first leg of the 4x100 metre freestyle relay. It took an astonishing comeback from American team mate Jason Lezak to pip France at the death.
The usually cool Phelps, 23, pumped his arms in the air and screamed for joy amid wild celebrations on the U.S. team whom France had boasted about "smashing" in the relay build-up.
Photograph: Getty Images
Advertisement
