Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe beat American arch-rival Michael Phelps in the men's 200-metre freestyle on Monday as China, Australia and Japan led the United States in the medals table on day three of the Olympic Games.
In a nail-biting race between the four fastest swimmers in history, world record holder Thorpe took the gold, just ahead of Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband. Phelps, a 19-year-old who arrived in Athens with a big build-up, was a distant third.
The delighted Australian whipped off his rubber cap and punched the air three times in triumph, flashing a smile.
The US Olympic team has captured three golds so far - Phelps in the 400 metres individual medley on day one and, on Monday, Natalie Coughlin in the women's 100 backstroke and Aaron Peirsol in the men's. In the overall medal count, the sports superpower trailed leader China as well as Australia and Japan.
At about the same point in the 2000 Games in Sydney, the United States led the table with six golds.
SCANDALS DRAG: A seemingly interminable doping scandal that has left Greek hopes of sporting glory twisting in the wind since last Thursday took an ominous turn as a state prosecutor ordered an investigation of sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.
The pair have been in hospital since a mystery motorcycle crash after their no-show for a drugs test on the eve of the Games. It has jeopardised Greece's reputation and medal hopes.
The hospital was ringed by reporters and television cameras awaiting their expected release from medical care on Tuesday. Getting thrown out of their own country's Olympics would be the ultimate disgrace but their lawyer said it would not happen.
"On Wednesday, even on crutches, Kenteris and Thanou will be in front of the (International Olympic Committee disciplinary) panel. They will fight their fight and prove they're clean," Michalis Dimitrakopoulos said.
The hearing has already been postponed twice since Friday and the Greek Olympic committee has suspended them.
EMPTY SEATS: Athens Games organisers, stung by television pictures of near-empty stadiums, were praying that a pesky wind packing near gale-force gusts would die down and help ticket sales pick up.
Amid pointed reminders that the Sydney Games four years ago were played at 95-percent of capacity, Athens organising committee spokesman Michael Zacharatos denied reports that Greeks would be offered free tickets to fill embarrassing gaps.