With a photo finish victory, the U.S. men’s swimming team won the  4 x 100m freestyle relay and set a world record at the Beijing Summer 2008 Olympics on August 11, 2008.  Arguably one of the most exciting races in sports history, this astonishing victory kept Michael Phelps’ quest to win an unprecedented eight gold medals alive and made Cullen Jones the second African-American swimmer to win a gold medal.

Click here to watch NBC Sports Video – U.S. Men’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay victory

Michael Phelps, half man, half chlorine, continued his quest to become the aqua king of the world.

Not unlike the Titanic, he ran into some unexpected trouble.

But with a 32-year-old teammate, Jason Lezak, saving the day, the men’s 4-x-100 freestyle relay went to the U.S. team in a neck-and-neck race against time and France, keeping alive Phelps’ shot at breaking the all-time record for gold medals in a single Olympic Games.

(L-R) Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak

How good was Lezak’s last leg?

“You’d have to put it in the ‘unbelievable’ category,” U.S. men’s coach Eddie Reese said after the race.

That’s the word Phelps used as well.

“Unbelievable. Jason finished the race better than we could have asked for,” Phelps said. “You could see I was pretty excited.”

Excited?

You could say that. Phelps let out a primal screen on the pool deck, seconds after Lezak’s fingers touched the race’s last wall.

It was a thrilling experience for him and for relay sidekicks Garrett Weber-Gale and Cullen Jones.

Source: Phelps continues the chase for gold – Stunning finish in 4-x-100 relay keeps Phelps’ quest in play

The presence of a North Carolina State University graduate on the record-setting U.S. men’s freestyle relay swimming team created quite a splash Monday among university staff.

Cullen Jones swam the third leg in the Olympic 4×100-meter freestyle finals early Monday in Beijing, and the team shattered the world record – Jones and three other swimmers had set the record in a preliminary heat – and edged out the French team for the gold medal.

“I’ve still got chill bumps,” said Larry Brown, former director of the N.C. State Aquatics Center and an associate professor of physical education. “I was very excited for the Americans, especially Cullen.”

Brown said he and other N.C. State staff take enormous pride in Jones’ feat.

“Cullen is just a wonderful young man,” he said. “He’s a quiet leader. He is very quiet and yet he’s friendly. He has that unique ability to be very reserved yet very friendly at the same time.”

Source: Swimming world record creates splash at N.C. State

Video & Photos: U.S. Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay Takes Gold 2008 Summer Olympics