Aquatics

Swim king Phelps signs off majestic Olympic career with a typically winning flourish

By David Owen at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 4 - The greatest Olympian in history brought down the curtain on his uniquely glittering career, and the London 2012 swimming competition, by doing what has come naturally for over a decade – winning.

Daley hits one million Twitter followers after social media controversy

By Emily Goddard

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 4 - Britain's teenage diving star Tom Daley now has over one million Twitter followers after his fourth-place finish in the 10-metre synchronised diving competition at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park this week saw him embroiled in a controversial episode on the social media platform.

Teenager trounces stars to claim 800m freestyle swimming gold

By Andrew Warshaw at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 3 - A new American swimming star was born tonight when 15-year-old Katie Ledecky sensationally upset the two big favourites to win the women's 800 metres freestyle on a terrific night in the pool for the United States.

Swim king Phelps finally bests Lochte and writes further chapter of Olympic history

By Andrew Warshaw at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 2 - Like a man on a mission, Michael Phelps thrillingly gained revenge over his American compatriot, Ryan Lochte, tonight to strike gold in the Olympic 200 metres individual medley and make more history – this time as the first male swimmer to win the same event at three successive Games.

Jamieson denied gold in the pool by world record breaking swim from Hungary's Gyurta

By Tom Degun at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 1 - Britain's Michael Jamieson claimed a superb silver medal in the men's 200 metres breaststroke final with the fourth fastest time in history, yet he was denied gold by the fastest time ever as Daniel Gyurta of Hungary took victory in a world record in front of a rapturous crowd here.

"Always give the benefit of the doubt," insists Coe over Chinese doping accusations

By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

August 1 - London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe today urged the sceptics to lay off teenage Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen as more eyebrows were raised after she collected her second gold medal of the Olympics in the 200 metres individual medley last night.

Chinese whispers older than her clouding Ye achievement

By Mike Rowbottom at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 31 - Ye Shiwen collected her second gold of the Olympics in the 200 metres individual medley here tonight – and emphatically denied that she has ever taken any performance-enhancing substances.

Phelps eclipses Olympic record with 19th medal of career

By Tom Degun at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 31 - American swimming icon Michael Phelps has been officially crowned as the most successful ever Olympian after a double medal winning performance here that saw him take his overall tally to 19 Olympic medals.

Rushed Franklin steals the show in pool as Lochte and Britons stutter

By Tom Degun at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 30 - America's teenage swimming sensation, Missy Franklin, remains on track to take six medals from six events at the London 2012 Olympics after she stormed to gold in the women's 100 metres backstroke final – despite having just 20 minutes to prepare for the race.

Fifteen-year-old Lithuanian stuns world champion to snatch historic gold

By Tom Degun at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 30 - Lithuanian teenager Ruta Meilutyte has caused one of the biggest shocks of London 2012 so far after the unheralded athlete stunned a world-class field in the women's 100 metres breaststroke final to claim her country's first ever Olympic swimming medal.

Chinese duo Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan take London 2012 10m diving gold

By Emily Goddard

By Andrew Warshaw at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 30 - Teenagers Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan held their nerve impeccably and, with a display of pinpoint diving, took the gold medal in the synchronised 10-metre platform event here today to extend China's stranglehold on the sport.

Agnel inspires France 4x100m freestyle team to thrilling swimming success over US

By Mike Rowbottom at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 29 - In a stupendous finale to an evening which had already seen world records from Dana Vollmer and Cameron van der Burgh, France produced one of the Olympics' great moments as their the men's 4x100 metres freestyle team took gold from the grip of their United States rivals thanks to an inspired swim from Yannick Agnel.

Swim queen Adlington exceeds expectation by claiming 400m freestyle bronze

By Andrew Warshaw at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 29 - This time, in theory at least, the roars beforehand were perhaps more in hope than expectation.

Duel in the pool goes Lochte's way as Ye smashes world record

By David Owen at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 28 - Could the Michael Phelps era in the Olympic pool be over?

Phelps set for "emotional" farewell as he eyes history at London 2012

By Emily Goddard

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 27 - American swimming icon Michael Phelps has admitted that London 2012 will be an emotional event for him as he looks to become the most successful Olympian ever before retiring following the conclusion of the Games.

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Fact of the day

When British skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won the Olympic gold medal in ice dance at Sarajevo 1984 with 12 perfect 6.0s from every judge, for their interpretation of Maurice Ravel's Boléro, an important member of their team was singer-actor Michael Crawford. Crawford, who had played Frank Spencer in British sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and the title role in the musical The Phantom of the Opera, had become a mentor to the pair in 1981 and went on to help them create their Olympic routine. Crawford said he “taught them how to act". He was present with their trainer Betty Callaway at the ringside at Sarajevo as they created one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history.

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