-- _ Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time by winning his 19th medal – a gold – as the United States romped to a dominating win in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. Phelps now has 15 golds, two silvers and two bronzes over three Olympics, moving ahead of Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who got her haul in 1956, 1960 and 1964.

_ The team of Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber lived up to all the hype, winning the first U.S. Olympic title in women's gymnastics since 1996.

_ American Allison Schmitt won the 200 freestyle with a dominating performance that left everyone else, including teammate Missy Franklin, battling for the other medals. It was her first career gold medal, to go along with a silver in the 400 free and a bronze in the 4x100 free relay. The 17-year-old Franklin was denied her third medal in London, one night after her gutsy victory in the 100 backstroke earned her a tweet-out from pop star Justin Bieber.

_ Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love scored 16 points apiece to lead the U.S. basketball team to a 110-63 victory against Tunisia and help the Americans improve to 2-0 in the tournament.

_ Chinese teen swimming sensation Ye Shiwen now has two gold medals – but all anybody wants to talk about is whether she's doping. She shattered the world record in the 400 individual medley, then broke her own Olympic record to take the 200 IM title. The head of the American Swimming Coaches Association was among those openly questioning Ye's legitimacy, but Olympic organizers resolutely defended her, and she replied "Absolutely not" when asked if she had ever doped.

_ Abby Wambach scored to lead the U.S. women to a 1-0 win over North Korea in soccer – a victory that gave the Americans first place in its group.

_ Beijing gold medalists Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser of the United States improved to 2-0 in the preliminary round of the beach volleyball tournament by beating Spain in three sets. The win against the only other unbeaten team in their pool virtually assures the Americans of a trip to the knockout round.

MEDALS

_ With golds in swimming, synchronized platform diving and fencing, China built its Olympics-leading total to 13, with the United States second with nine golds. Both countries are tied with 23 medals overall.

NOT THEIR FINEST HOUR

_ Water polo power Hungary, which has won three straight Olympic gold medals, lost to Montenegro 11-10, two days after dropping its opener in London to Serbia. The Hungarians next face Romania and Britain before closing out the preliminary stage against the United States.

ROYAL TREATMENT

_ The queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips added to the family silver, helping team Britain to a second-place finish behind Germany in equestrian eventing. And her mother, Princess Anne, presented the medal.

CULTURAL COMPROMISE

_ Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, a female judo fighter from Saudi Arabia, will be allowed to compete Friday wearing a form of headscarf. A compromise was reached after several days of IOC-brokered talks between the International Judo Federation and the Saudi Olympic Committee.

WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

_Swimming: gold medal finals in men's 200-meter breaststroke, men's 100-meter freestyle, women's 200-meter butterfly, women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

_Men's gymnastics: all-around gold medal final.

_Women's beach volleyball: May-Treanor/Walsh (U.S.) vs. D. Schwaiger/S. Schwaiger (Austria).

_Men's diving: synchronized springboard gold medal final.