BEIJING – Michael Phelps matched Mark Spitz's 1972 Munich Games record of seven gold medals.

His seventh gold of these Games, and the 13th of his career, came in the 100 metres butterfly.

The time he clocked to win it was an Olympic record of 50.58 (bettered the previous 50.76 from Milorad Cavic on Thursday).

Serbian Cavic led the race until the last metre but touched 1-hundredth of a second after the American champion to win silver in a new European record of 50.59 (27.17) that bettered his previous best of 50.76 set in Thursday’s semifinals.