Phelps gets two more golds

ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps took his haul of gold medals at the Athens Olympics to three on Tuesday after winning the 200 meters butterfly and helping the United States beat Australia in the 4x200 freestyle relay. The American also has two bronze medals and with three events still to go, he now seems certain to become first swimmer to win eight medals at a single Olympics. The American posted the second fastest time in history to win the 200 butterfly in one minute 54.04 seconds, just 0.11 outside the world record he set at last year's world championships. He was under world record pace at the halfway stage but began to slow down on the turn for home before holding off the late charge of Japan's Takashi Yamamoto and Stephen Parry, who provided Britain with their first Olympic swimming medal since the Atlanta Games in 1996. Phelps returned to the pool an hour later to join Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay and Klete Keller for a dramatic relay battle with Australia. Phelps swam the lead-off leg and the U.S. had a big lead heading into the final changeover but Ian Thorpe, winner of the 200 individual gold the previous night, began to close on Keller. With everyone in the stadium on their feet roaring, Thorpe looked as though he would pass Keller in the final few meters but the American held on to reach the wall just 0.13 seconds ahead with Italy third. "It was probably the most exciting race I've ever been part of," Phelps said. "I knew Klete would come through. He anchored the relay perfectly. He held off the greatest 200 freestyler in history." Thorpe, who was aiming for his third gold of the Games, said: "We've owned this event since 1998 so this is a disappointing result.