Michael Phelps kept every swimsuit, every cap, every pair of goggles he wore during nine magical days at the Water Cube. Every memory will be savored, too, from goofing off with his U.S. teammates to bowing his head not one, not two, but eight times to receive a gold medal at the Beijing Games. ...more

August 19, 2008

Cheering from the pool deck, Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games today to become the grandest of Olympic champions. ...more

August 17, 2008

Liu Zige has given China its first swimming gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, winning the women's 200-meter butterfly today in a world record with her teammate Jiao Liuyang taking the silver. ...more

August 14, 2008

The great bellow of victory seemed to begin in the soles of Michael Phelps' feet and coil upward through his taut frame, gathering force in that all-world diaphragm, before it came ripping out of his throat. His quest for eight gold medals was still alive, though only by mere fractions of a second, saved by the unforgettably lion-hearted performance of his teammates on the United States' 4x100-meter relay team, anchored by Jason Lezak, who made the water boil with his world-record effort. ...more

August 12, 2008

Jason Lezak outtouched Alain Bernard of France at the wall Monday to give the United States a victory in the 400-meter freestyle relay and keep alive Michael Phelps' bid for eight Olympic gold medals. ...more

August 11, 2008