Phelps Collects Sixth Gold Medal

Mar 31, 08:49 AM

Current Headlines: Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal, sending the U.S. team off to a huge day Saturday at the world swimming championships in Australia.

Phelps' win in the 100-meter butterfly was one of five golds the Americans claimed Saturday. The United States has piled up 18 gold medals, 13 silver and four bronze in the championships. Russia is second in the medal race with 11 gold, four silver and six bronze medals.

The championships wrap up Sunday with Phelps swimming in the 4x100 medley relay and 400m individual medley as he looks for a sweep of the eight events he's entered.

He needed a kick in the final 15 meters Saturday to edge teammate Ian Crocker and win the 100m butterfly in 50.77 seconds. Crocker touched in 50.82.

Other U.S. wins came from Ben Wildman-Tobriner with a 21.88-second time in the 50m freestyle; Margaret Hoelzer, who won the 200m backstroke in 2 minutes, 7.16 seconds; Kate Ziegler, who took the 800m freestyle in 8:18.52; and the U.S. women's water polo team, which defeated Australia 6-5.

The Australian women's 4x100m medley relay team of Emily Seebohm, Leisel Jones, Jessicah Schipper and Libby Lenton, set a world record with a 3:55.74, 2.57 seconds ahead of the runner-up U.S. team.