Kazakhstan's Balandin 'needs a week' to comprehend historic gold

Dmitriy Balandin said he would need at least a week to comprehend what it meant to be Kazakhstan's first Olympic swimming medallist - and a gold one at that - after winning the men's 200m breaststroke final on Wednesday.

Swimming in lane eight after qualifying last for the final, Balandin hit the wall in 2 minutes 07.46 seconds to beat the USA's Josh Prenot by seven hundredths of a second.

Russia's Anton Chupkov was third, 0.24sec further back. Japan's Ippel Watanabe, who set an Olympic record of 2:07.22 in qualifying for the final, finished sixth.

"The tactics were simple. Being in the outside lane I could not see my competitors but that helped me as I wasn't paying attention to anyone," Balandin told a press conference.

"To be honest I cannot think I have comprehended right now that I've got Olympic gold. I might need a week to 10 days to produce an adequate reaction."

Balandin won the 200m breaststroke gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, but he was not expected to figure among the medallists here.

His victory was Kazakhstan's second gold medal of the Games after weightlifter Nijat Rahimov's triumph in the men's 77kg clean and jerk.

The 21-year-old said he hoped his success would help kickstart interest in the sport in his homeland.

"This is history, a first Olympic swimming medal for Kazakhstan. I hope swimming in the future will develop in my country and we will win more medals in swimming and this event."

Balandin's unlikely gold medal set the tone for thrilling night at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.

In the last event of the night, teenager Katie Ledecky powered the USA to victory with a scintillating last leg in the women's 4x200m freestyle final.

The USA team of Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya Dirado and Ledecky finished in 7 minutes 43.03 seconds.

Australia's Leah Neale, Emma McKeon, Bronte Barratt and Tamsin Cook took silver, 1.84sec behind.

Canada's Katerine Savard, Taylor Ruck, Brittany Maclean and Penny Oleksiak grabbed bronze, 2.36 seconds further back.

Ledecky began half a body length behind Australia's Tamsin Cook but reeled in her rival after the first 50m and never looked back.

It was the 19-year-old's third gold medal of the Rio Games. She also won the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle finals in addition to the silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle.

Earlier, Mireia Belmonte claimed Spain's first gold medal in Rio's pool by winning the women's 200m butterfly final.

The 25-year-old, the silver medallist in this event at the London 2012 Games, finished in 2 minutes 04.85 seconds, three hundredths of a second in front of Australia's Madeline Groves.

Japan's Natsumi Hoshi was third, 0.35sec further back. Fourth was Cammile Adams of the USA, with China's Zhou Yilin coming in fifth.

"I don't know how I'm feeling. It's difficult for me to say. There are lots of emotions," Belmonte said.

"I didn't believe it and even now I don't believe it. Now I have to rest because tomorrow I have the 800 (800m freestyle) and I have to try to sleep."

It was Belmonte's second medal of the Rio Games, having also taken bronze in the 400m individual medley on Saturday.

Teenager Kyle Chalmers clinched Australia's fifth gold medal of the Rio Olympics by winning the men's 100m freestyle final.

The 18-year-old touched the wall in 47.58 seconds, 0.22sec ahead of Pieter Timmers of Belgium.

Defending champion and pre-race favorite Adrian Nathan of the US was third, 0.27sec further back.

It was Australia's third swimming gold medal of the Rio Games after Mack Horton won the men's 400m freestyle and women's 4x100m freestyle relay team also triumphed.

The semifinals in Wednesday night's swimming session also provided absorbing entertainment.

Michael Phelps qualified fastest for Thursday's 200m individual medley final as he aims to become the first swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Olympics.

The 31-year-old clocked 1 minute 58.78 seconds, to finish ahead of US teammate Ryan Lochte by half a second.

Brazil's Thiago Perreira was third quickest in 1:57.11.

Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history with 21 gold medals, has won each of his three finals in Rio so far: the 200m butterfly, the 4x100m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle.

Al Oerter (discuss) and Carl Lewis (long jump) are the only athletes to have claimed gold in the same event at four Olympics.

Phelps could also perform the feat in the 100m butterfly.

Meanwhile Australia's Cate Campbell qualified fastest for the women's 100m freestyle final in 52.71sec, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Canada's Penny Olieksiak.

Evgeny Rylov of Russia was quickest in the semifinals of the men's 200m backstroke, 0.28sec ahead of Australian Mitchell Larkin.

Australia's Taylor McKeown qualified fastest for the women's 200m breaststroke final in 2:21.69sec, 0.42sec ahead of Rie Kaneto of Japan. Endit