Michael Phelps has won his first solo gold medal of London 2012 with victory in the men's 200m individual medley.
The Baltimore Bullet built on an early lead with a powerful backstroke leg to distance himself from the pack and come in at 1:54.27, marginally short of a world record.
Phelps's great rival and teammate Ryan Lochte had fallen away from the frontrunners with 50m to go, but powered through the freestyle length to hit the side second and take silver.
Hungary's Laszlo Cseh put in a solid swim to claim bronze from under the nose of Brazil's Thiago Pereira.
Team GB's James Goddard came in seventh with a time of 1:59.05.
Phelps now has 20 Olympic medals to him name - 16 gold, two sliver and two bronze.
