Phelps caps career with gold in Olympic relay

London, Aug 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti) American swimmer Michael Phelps won his 18th Olympic gold medal in his final competitive appearance Saturday to help the US to the 4x100 medley relay at the London Games.

Phelps' 22nd career Olympic medal was won in three minutes, 29.35 seconds, two seconds ahead of a strong Japan team.

Phelps overturned an early Japanese lead on the second leg to put the Americans in the lead with a typically strong butterfly.

Matthew Grevers, Brendan Hansen and Nathan Adrian were his teammates.

A Japan team of Ryosuke Irie, Kosuke Kitijama, Takeshi Matsuda and Takuro Fujii claimed the silver in 3:31.26.

The Australians, featuring Hayden Stoeckel, Christian Sprenger, Matt Targett, James Magnussen, clocked 3:31.58.

It means Phelps' final medal chest contains 18 gold, two silver and two bronze.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

snb