Michael Phelps matched fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven golds in one Games today with yet another victory in the pool.

Guaranteeing his status as the face of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the 23-year-old Phelps powered to victory in the 100 meters butterfly in front of an ecstatic crowd in the Water Cube with just 100th of a second to spare.

The 23-year-old phenomenon now has 13 career golds, four more than anyone else. As well as Olympic glory, today's win brings him a US$1 million bonus from sponsors.

Today, Phelps can go one better than Spitz in Munich with a chance for an eighth Beijing gold in the 100m medley relay.

Watched in every race by his mother and cheered to his first wins by US President George W. Bush, Phelps' success is down to a combination of natural brilliance, total focus, and the perfect swimmer's physique of large torso and long-reaching arms.