Chad le Clos beats Michael Phelps for 200m butterfly gold-S.Africa

31 July 2012Last updated at 20:28 GMT-South Africa's Chad le Clos ended the reign of two-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps with a dramatic victory in the 200m butterfly in London.

Phelps had been trying to become the first man to win an Olympic swimming event three times in a row, but was edged out in the final stroke.

Le Clos won in one minute 52.96 seconds, 0.05secs ahead of Phelps with Japan's Takeshi Matsuda third.

"That's been my dream ever since I was a little boy," Le Clos told BBC Sport.

"Michael is my hero. I just wanted to race in the final and now I've won it. I can't believe it, I really can't."

Phelps led throughout the race but tried to glide to the wall after his final stroke and was out-touched by Le Clos.

The American, 27, had the consolation of a silver medal that made him the joint most successful Olympian on 18 medals, and he later took the record on his own with gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

BBC