Australia wins women's 4x200m relay gold

Australia caused one of the biggest boilovers in Olympic swimming history by winning the women's 4x200m relay at the Beijing Games today.

The team of Stephanie Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie obliterated the world record by almost six seconds in winning in seven minutes 44.31 seconds.

Rice, Barratt and Palmer set up a massive lead for Mackenzie to take into the final leg and the Mackay swimmer held on to win Australia's fifth gold of the Games in the pool.

The result ended the USA's stranglehold in the event, having won the title on the three occasions it has been held since its introduction for the 1996 Atlanta Games.

China (7:45.93) and the USA (7:46.33) collected the silver and bronze medals.

Rice, who claimed her third gold medal, said the record-breaking relay was a great way to wrap up her first Olympic Games.

"It's so exciting. I mean this is mine and Bronte's last Olympic event so what a great note to finish on - world record and a first place," she told the Seven Network after the race.

Barratt said she was feeling the pressure as Mackenzie swum the last leg.

"I think I almost had a heart attack when Macca was swimming that last 50 (metres) and when I was so excited when we won," she said.

Palmer dove into the pool at the Water Cube for the first time for the today's relay.

"First Olympics, first swim, it feels awesome to get in there and be part of team who just won a gold medal," she said.

Anchor swimmer Mackenzie had the high-pressure task of cementing gold in the anchor leg.

"I was pretty nervous but just wanted this so bad for these girls and for myself and I just had to trust what I had to do in my own swim," she said.

Soccer :

Australia's lack of fire power was exposed as their Olympic soccer campaign ended with defeat in a match they had to win against Ivory Coast.

Ivorian striker Salomon Kalou, who plays for Chelsea in the English Premier League, scored off a cross by captain Gervinho to hand his side a 1-0 victory at Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium and secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Olyroos coach Graham Arnold was again left wondering what might have been had his team finished off any one of numerous chances.

"This has been a problem with the group even when they were under-20s," Arnold said.

"We tried to think outside the square a bit but it just never happened.

"It's been a two-year journey, it's been a wonderful journey for the boys. I'm very proud of them.

"We're extremely disappointed but the development of these players is huge."

While Kalou missed the target more than once, the Ivorians were patient, picked their moment and shattered Australia's dream in the 81st minute.

Kalou, who turned 23 last week, drilled his shot into the top-right corner of the net.

Australia had to beat Ivory Coast to have any chance of reaching the knockout phase.

Instead it was the Africans who advanced from group A with four points behind Argentina, who beat Serbia 2-0 in their last pool match for a maximum nine points.

Ruben Zadkovich scored Australia's only goal of the tournament, in the first match which ended in a 1-1 draw with Serbia.

Arnold made four changes to the starting line-up that lost 1-0 to defending champions Argentina on Sunday.

Strikers Mark Bridge and Nikita Rukavytsya came into an attack missing Archie Thompson, who injured his foot in the previous game.

Zadkovich also missed the match against Ivory Coast because of a groin strain.

Defender Trent McClenahan and midfielder Kristian Sarkies replaced midfield duo Neil Kilkenny and James Troisi.