2012 Olympics | featured news

In a final race that was more a coronation than a contest, Phelps headed into retirement the only way imaginable - with an 18th gold medal. Reclaiming the lead with his trademark butterfly stroke, the one seen in his Olympic debut as a 15-year-old in Sydney a dozen years ago, he capped off a mind-boggling career with a victory in the 4x100-meter medley relay Saturday.

Serena Williams turns her highly-anticipated match up with Russia's Maria Sharapova into a clinic on Centre Court. After Williams dominates 6-0, 6-1 in the final, she dances in celebration. Serena WIlliams became only the second woman to complete a career Golden Slam, winning the most lopsided women's final in Olympic history Saturday by beating Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1. The victory completed a remarkable run of domination by the No. 4-seeded Williams, who lost only 17 games in six matches en route to her first singles gold medal. She went 13-0 this summer at the All England Club, where she won her fifth Wimbledon title a month ago.

Usain Bolt is the biggest rock star in track and field and gets paid like it with appearance fees that can reach $350,000 and half a dozen global sponsors that contribute the bulk of his $20 million yearly income. He is the top-earner in the history of the sport.

Officials say an Olympics security trainee has been charged with making a bomb threat ahead of the games last month. Police said Saturday that 21-year-old Thomas Hall was due to appear at a hearing at Thames Magistrates' Court, in east London, later this month.

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics, finishing second in his 400-meter heat Saturday to advance to the next round.

Michael Phelps won his 21st career medal, and Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky also won at the London Olympics.

Both Wimbledon champions on Friday moved into gold medal matches in the London Olympics on the hallowed grass of the same All-England club where they took titles last month.

Michael Phelps will swim for more gold Friday at the 2012 Games, competing in the final individual race of his storied Olympic career. Meanwhile, attention will begin to shift to Olympic Stadium as the track and field competition gets under way.

Michael Phelps spent the day thinking about all the things he's doing for the final time at the pool. It turns out that included one last win over Ryan Lochte.Phelps finally got a gold all his own at his final Olympics.

There were times in the past four years when the water was still. For days at a time, Michael Phelps didn’t bother to show up at the pool, never rippled the surface. He stayed missing so long that his coach, Bob Bowman, wondered whether they “were going to get this thing done.” But eventually — reluctantly but determinedly — Phelps towed that long torso back into the liquid, where the greatest swimmer of all time belonged.