Triple world champion Luo Xuejuan clinched China's first swimming Olympic gold in eight years when she won the women's 100m breaststroke title here Monday evening.

In the most awaited men's 200m freestyle, newly crowned Olympic champion Ian Thorpe of Australia revenged his loss four years ago when he edged defending champion Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband in a classic battle also featuring American Michael Phelps.

The 20-year-old Luo rushed to win in an Olympic record of one minute 6.44 seconds, missing the world record by 0.07.

"This is the most unforgettable moment in my life. I just want to thank the people who always support me," said a tearful Luo after taking the first swimming gold for China at the Athens Olympics.

"I told her before we came here that you are the best in the world and no one cam beat you," said Luo's coach Zhang Yadong.

"She is the strongest competitor in the field and she deserves the win," he added.

Luo defended successfully her 50m and 100m breaststroke titles and became a member of the winning 4x100m medley relay team at last year's Barcelona World Championships.

Barcelona world silver medalist Brooke Hanson of Australia finished second in 1:07.15 while her compatriot world record holder Leisel Jones took bronze in 1:07.16.

World record holder Thorpe clocked one minute 44.71 seconds to edge the flying Hoogenband, who pushed aside Thorpe for the title in a then world record of 1:45.35 in Sydney four years ago.

Thorpe, who has broken world record in this event for six times, broke the Olympic Games mark set by Hoogenband at last Olympics.

"I didn't feel good tonight. I tried my best to do the job and tried to go out to keep the pace," said the Athens Olympic 400m free champion.

"Now we are even and I said that meaning we are even in Beijing. It will be another tough race," Thorpe said about his future rivalry with Hoogenband in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 26-year-old Hoogenband, overtaken in the last meters, had to settle for the silver in 1:45.23.

American teenager Phelps was in no way to equal Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at a single Olympics as he took bronze in 1:45.32.

The 19-year-old Phelps has claimed the 400m individual medley victory by rewriting his own world record on Saturday but the disappointing third place finish of the U.S. 100m free relay team left him to pin gold hopes on the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly as well the 4x200m freestyle relay.

World record holder Natalie Coughlin of the United States posted victory in the women's 100m backstroke in 1:00.37, in front of Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry who set an African record in 1:00.50.

Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou took bronze in 1:00.88.

"It's too hard to put into words. Obviously I wanted to go faster than 1:00, but I have a gold medal," said Coughlin, who set the world mark of 59.58 in 2002.

Aaron Peirsol awarded the third swimming gold for the United States as the double world champion won in the men's 100m backstroke in 54.06.

Austrian Markus Rogan took silver in 54.35 while Tomomi Morita of Japan finished third in an Asian record of 54.36.

"There were lots of good people in this race and fortunately I came out on top," said the 100m and 200m back world champion.

American world record holder Lenny Krayzelburg finished fourth in 54.38.