Lithuania's Meilutyte, aged 15, wins gold in 100m breaststroke

Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte struck Olympic gold on Monday in the women’s 100 metres breaststroke aged just 15, capping a dramatic day in the pool where Frenchman Yannick Agnel also beat an American favourite to win the men’s 200 metre freestyle. It was heroics in the water that set ablaze the Olympic village, and in particular those of Meilutyte, the first swimmer from her country to win an Olympic medal. [caption id=“attachment_397702” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte with the gold. Reuters[/caption] The Lithuanian had to do it the hard way, surviving a fierce challenge from American Rebecca Soni, the reigning world champion in the event, and just holding her off at the death. “I can’t believe it,” a stunned Meilutyte managed to say in a post-race poolside interview. Agnel, a 20-year-old who reads the poetry of Charles Baudelaire between races to relax, captured a second gold medal in 24 hours after his stunning anchor leg won France the 4x100 freestyle relay the previous night. And he had to beat a stellar field including US world champion Ryan Lochte who ended up fourth. The United States caught up some ground on China in the medals rankings, however, with two late golds in the pool. Matt Grevers collected his first individual gold in the final of the men’s 100 metres backstroke while teenager Missy Franklin won the women’s 100 backstroke. It took the US gold tally to five by the end of the third full day of competition, still four golds behind medal table leaders China on nine. American Michael Phelps has a chance to make history on Tuesday by becoming the most decorated Olympian if he scores medals in two men’s finals. It would take his tally to 19, one more than the current all-time record of 18 held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. Reuters