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BEIJING (Reuters) - Michael Phelps collected his second gold of the Beijing Games on Monday when the U.S. men turned on the power to win the fastest 4x100 meters freestyle relay of all time.

In an astonishing race that saw the existing world record slashed by nearly four seconds, while Australian Eamon Sullivan also broke the individual 100 meters freestyle world mark in the opening leg, the U.S. smashed France into second place.

Australia took the bronze.

France, who had qualified inside the old world record on Sunday and had boasted about “smashing” the Americans, led into the final 50 meters with former 100 freestyle world record holder Alain Bernard as their anchor.

Jason Lezak pulled out all the stops in a thrilling finish to hit the wall in 3:08.24, with the French stopping the clock at 3:08.32.

Victory kept 23-year-old Phelps, swimming three races in the space of a day, on course to break compatriot Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of seven golds at a single Games.

He had earlier qualified for the 200 freestyle final and has 200 butterfly heats later.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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