ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Saturday's highlights from the Olympics:
-- USA star Michael Phelps won the first of what he hopes will be eight swimming gold medals, setting a world record in capturing the 400-meter individual medley.
-- In a renewal of the world's best swimming rivalry, Australia won two golds in the pool to one for the United States. But the Americans won five overall medals to three for the Aussies.
-- American women recorded big wins in softball, basketball and soccer. The softball team blanked Italy, 7-0; the basketball team blasted New Zealand, 99-47; and the soccer squad downed Brazil, 2-9. The USA women, however, lost to China in volleyball.
-- The first two gold medals of the Games went to China at the shooting venue and then the Chinese won two more in synchronized diving.
-- Germany pulled off a major upset by downing Cuba in women's volleyball, rallying from two sets down to do so.
-- Italy's Paolo Bettini outsprinted Sergio Paulinho of Portugal after five hours, 41 minutes of cycling to win the road race gold.
