(CNN) — Two world records tumbled in the Aquatics Centre Sunday while France claimed two golds including a stunning upset in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Dana Vollmer gave the United States a winning start on the second night of swimming finals with a commanding swim in the women’s 100m butterfly, becoming the first woman under the 56 seconds barrier with 55.98 seconds.
The second world record of the night saw South African Cameron van der Burgh claim the men’s 100m breaststroke gold with a 58.46 seconds clocking.
The French gold rush then started with Camille Muffat in the women’s 400m from American Allison Schmitt with defending champion Rebecca Adlington taking a battling bronze for Team GB.
But it was the freestyle relay which provided the most thrilling finish and a real upset as France’s anchor leg swimmer Yannick Agnel overhauled Ryan Lochte to give his country its first gold in the event after a series of near misses.
The United States looked to have the gold in the bag after an improved Michael Phelps had given them a commanding lead after the second leg.
But Agnel powered past 400m individual medal winner Lochte for France to win in three minutes 9.93 seconds. Russia took the bronze ahead of fancied Australia.
The silver medal for Phelps, so disappointing in his opening final Saturday, was his 17th in the Olympics, one behind the all-time record of Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast.
