Agnel wins battle of Titans, China stays atop

LONDON - Frenchman Yannick Agnel outclassed US star Ryan Lochte and Sun Yang of China in a battle of Titans to win the men's 200m freestyle Olympic title on Monday, as China extended its lead in the medals table.

China captured three gold medals on the third full day of competition - in artistic gymnastics, diving and women's weightlifting - to bring its total to nine.  The United States is in second place with five gold, but its haul of medals is level with China at 17.

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In one of the most anticipated races in the pool, Agnel led from start to finish and won by a full body length, in a time of 1:43.14, against a star-studded field that included Lochte, Sun and South Korean Park Tae-hwan.

Park and Sun were tied for the silver in 1:44.93, while Lochte was fourth.

It was Agnel's second straight victory over Lochte, who was anchoring the U.S. 4x100m freestyle relay on Sunday when Agnel surged past him in the final 50m to hand France the title.

"He is a great racer, there is no doubt about it," Lochte said of Agnel. "He's quick, he showed it last night and again tonight. He did good."

Chinese men's gymnasts rebounded from their dismal performance in the qualifying to claim their second straight Olympic team title. Their score of 275.997 points was more than four points ahead of favorites Japan.

Yet the triumph didn't come by so easily as the results have suggested.

Teng Haibin, the 2004 gold medalist on pommel horse and a key member of the Chinese squad, was forced to pull out with an injury Thursday and had to be replaced by inexperienced Guo Weiyang. China's medal prospect looked even more gloomy after they finished only sixth in qualifying.

In the final, the Chinese showed unmatchable consistency with half their 18 scores at 15.6s or higher.

"We don't have any faults. That's our secret to beat the Japanese and other teams," said Zhang Chenglong.

Britain had originally been awarded the silver but were relegated to bronze after Japan appealed against the score of Kohei Uchimura's pommel horse routine.

It was the hosts' first medal in the gymnastics men's team event since 1912 Games in Stockholm, and their third medal at these Games.

China's "Dream Team" of diving stayed on course for a clean sweep of all eight gold medals after teenagers Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan won the men's 10-meter synchronized platform for their second gold here.

Home favorites Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield had been leading after three dives, but an error in their fourth, a reverse three and a half somersault with tuck, cost them a medal.

"I'd rather finish last than fourth, because at least then it means you have messed everything up," said Waterfield. "The error left us with too much to do."

Cao, who is making his Olympic debut in London, attributed China's perennial dominance in diving to hard work and the depth of talent.

"Coming from China, of course, I hope we can win more medals in diving," said the 17-year-old Cao.

"If we are strong in diving, it is because we have strict daily training and we have really good coaches."

In weightlifting, Chinese stronwoman Li Xueying set two Olympic records to clinch gold in the women's 58kg category.

Away from sports action, International Olympic Committee's anti-doping chief came to the defence of Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen after her stunning performance sparked suspicions of doping.

Sixteen-year-old Ye chopped more than a second off the world record to win the women's 400m individual medley on Saturday with a final 50-meter sprint that was faster than Lochte.

Arne Ljungqvist, the chairman of IOC's medical commission, did not express any concerns when asked if he had any suspicions regarding the swimmers at a daily press briefing.

"I am pretty experienced in this matter, as you know, and have been at the Games since a long time and within anti-doping for 40 years," said Ljungqvist.

"Should I have my suspicions I keep them for myself, first of all, and take any action, if so, in order to find out whether something is wrong or not.

"You ask me specifically about this particular swimming. I say no, I have not personally any reason other than to applaud what has happened, until I have further facts, if so."

Meanwhile, Swiss footballer Michel Morganella became the second competitor to be sent home from the London Olympics for posting racist abuse on Twitter.