London: France engineered an epic upset in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, one of two French golds on a pulsating night of action in the Olympic pool where two world records fell.
Yannick Agnel powered past American star Ryan Lochte on the final 50m of the closing relay leg as France won the coveted 4x100m relay gold for the first time in 3min 09.93sec yesterday.
The Americans’ second-placed finish gave Michael Phelps a first career silver medal to go with his 14 gold and two bronze.
Russia took bronze over a stunned Australia, whose vaunted James “The Missile” Magnussen and James “The Rocket” Roberts failed to fire, which received strong comment from those back in Australia.
The victory was redemption of a sort for France, who went into the same race as favourites in Beijing four years ago only to see the US surprise them.
The win was also part of a French festival at the Aquatics Centre, where Camille Muffat won the women’s 400m freestyle in an Olympic record of 4:01.45.
American Dana Vollmer opened the action with a 100m butterfly triumph in a world record of 55.98sec, becoming the first woman to dip under 56 seconds.
Cameron van der Burgh followed with an emotional world record-setting triumph in the 100m breaststroke, which he dedicated to late training partner Alexander Dale Oen.
South Africa’s only other men’s swimming gold came in the 2004 4x100m freestyle relay, making them part of the exclusive club of nations to beat the United States in the event along with Australia and, now, France. (AFP)