American Michael Phelps won his first gold medal of the Summer Olympics by setting a world record in the 400-metre individual medley today, while Brian Johns showed Canada's swim program has raised its head above the water with a seventh-place finish.

"Phelps is an all-star," said Johns, a Richmond, B.C., resident who is swimming at his third Olympics. "He is what he is. He was the only one who was able to step up his game from the heats to the finals and it showed how good a swimmer he is.