Stephen Parry claimed Great Britain's second medal of the Olympic Games with a fine bronze in the 200m butterfly.
Parry finished behind US star Michael Phelps, who won in a new Olympic record time of one minute 54.04 seconds.
And Phelps then added his third gold of the Games as the USA produced a great swim to pip the Australians in a thrilling 4x200m freestyle relay.
Parry's medal was a lone bit of good news for the British Olympic team - whose equestrian team's medal chances were later hit by a shock withdrawal.
But it was an exciting night in the pool with four more golds snapped up.
Yana Klochkova of Ukraine defended her 200m individual medley title, her second gold medal of the Athens Games.
A tearful Camelia Potec of Romania won the women's 200m freestyle from Italy's Federica Pellegrini in a tight finish.
Pieter van den Hoogenband and Ian Thorpe qualified for the final of the men's 100m freestyle, but Russian legend Alexander Popov failed to qualify.
Britain's Chris Cook and Ian Edmond failed to qualify for the men's 200m breaststroke final, while Georgina Lee missed out on the women's 200m butterfly final.
And Britain had a disastrous day in the three-day eventing capped when Fox-Pitt - in fifth place overall - was forced to retire from the team after his horse Tamarillo picked up an injury.
William Fox-Pitt's excellent ride in the cross-country was annulled, dropping Britain to fourth in the overall standings and facing a real battle to regain a medal placing.
The Greeks celebrated their second gold medal of the Games, as Ilias Iliadis won the men's 81kg judo.
Iliadis beat Roman Gontyuk of Ukraine by ippon in the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall to spark ecstatic scenes among home fans.
Despite Iliadis' glory, the controversy surrounding Greek sprint duo Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou refuses to go away.
The pair left hospital on Tuesday as a medical report suggested neither sprinter suffered visible injuries in the motorcycle crash which left both in hospital - although both continue to protest their innocence.
And America's world sprint champion Torri Edwards will miss the Olympics after her appeal against a two-year drugs ban was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Mariel Zagunis won the United States' first fencing gold in 100 years after beating China's Tan Xue in the women's sabre, while Marcel Fischer of Switzerland won gold in the men's individual epee.
There was a shock in the tennis as world number one Roger Federer crashed out in three sets to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.
But women's world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne continued her comeback from illness with victory over Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.
There was more bad news for Britain when Sydney gold medallist Richard Faulds suffered disappointment when he failed to make the double trap shooting final.
The event was won by Sheikh Ahmed Al-Maktoum, who collected a first-ever gold medal for the United Arab Emirates.
Romania won their second gold of the Games as they successfully defended the women's gymnastics team event title, edging out the United States.
But the US men's basketball team got its first win - although they had to work hard before overcoming a spirited Greece side 77-71.
The lack of wind has complicated the sailing schedule for the second day running, but Britain's Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield continue to lead the Men's 470 class.
The rowing regatta resumed with Britain's Ian Lawson qualifying for the semi-finals of the single scull by winning his repechage heat.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend
Printable version
The defining images
