Olympics 2012 Swimming: United States Wins 4 More Medals

Heading into the 2012 London Olympics, much of the focus on the United States swimming team was on the head-to-head battle between Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. On Monday, however, it was the other members of the US team stealing the show.

The United States added four more medals to their growing medal count Monday, including two gold medals. Missy Franklin, the 17-year-old from Colorado, captured the first gold medal of her career, winning the women's 100-meter backstroke.

"Indescribable," Franklin said, according to the Associated Press. "I still can't believe that happened. I don't even know what to think. I saw my parents' reaction on the screen and I just started bawling. I can't even think right now."

Franklin set an American record in the event with a winning time of 58.33. Even more impressive, she won the race less than 15 minutes after swimming in her semifinal heat.

Franklin wasn't the only American to win gold Monday. Matt Grevers won the men's 100-meter backstroke with an Olympic record time of 52.16. It was Grevers' third career gold and fifth career Olympic medal. He won silver in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2008 Olympics but came away with gold this year.

Nick Thoman joined Grevers on the 100-meter backstroke podium, taking home the silver medal. It was Thoman's first career Olympic medal. Rebecca Soni captured the United States' fourth medal of the day, winning silver in the women's 100-meter breaststroke. Soni, who also won silver in the same event at the 2008 Olympics, narrowly missed out on gold, finishing just 0.08 behind the winner Ruta Meilutyte.

"I'm a little disappointed," Soni said. "I knew it was going to come down to the last five meters and I wish I had five more meters to get to that finish. It was a great race overall."

While those four Americans finished on the podium, Ryan Lochte did not. Lochte finished a disappointing fourth in the men's 200-meter freestyle. After opening the Olympics with gold in the 400-meter individual medley, Lochte has now missed the podium in each of his last two races.

"I did my best," Lochte said. "I guess sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I gave it 110 percent. There's probably some things I messed up on, but you live and learn."

Phelps did not race Monday, as he chose to not race in the 200-meter freestyle in London.

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