Phelps won the Olympic 200-metres individual medley, becoming the first swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Games.

Fellow American Ryan Murphy completed a backstroke double, adding the Olympic men’s 200-metres gold to the 100-metres title he won earlier in the week.

The US men have now won the event for six successive Olympics dating back to Atlanta in 1996.

Simone Manuel of the United States and Penny Oleksiak of Canada shared gold medal honours by both finishing first in a dead heat in the 100-metres freestyle, setting a new Olympic record in the process.

Japan’s Rie Kaneto won the gold in the women’s 200-metres breaststroke, edging out 
controversial Russian Yulia Efimova who won her second silver of the Games. (Euronews)