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Let's recap: Two giant wins for the USA. Nathan Adrian was 0.01 seconds than Australian favorite James Magnussen in the men's 100-meter freestyle, ending an American victory drought in that event that's older than most college student. Then Allison Schmitt raced past Australia to clinch gold in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay along with Missy Franklin, Dana Vollmer and Shannon Vreeland.

(Band idea for Vollmer and Vreeland: V&V Music Factory?)

The semis were compelling as well. Rebecca Soni set a world record in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Ryan Lochte finished ahead of a conservative Michael Phelps in the semifinals to set the stage for a 200-meter individual medley showdown, though Hungary's Laszlo Cseh may get in the way.

Americans were unsurprisingly shut out in the other finals. Hungary's Daniel Gyurta won the 200-meter breaststroke and set a world record in the process to hold off Britain's Michael Jamieson. China's Jiao Liuyang won the women's 200-meter butterfly.

Still more swimming to come in these Games. See you tomorrow.

ALLISON SCHMITT HAS DONE IT AGAIN, leading the USA to victory in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

It was another fast start to a relay leg for the USA, with Schmitt overhauling Alicia Coutts in the first 60 meters. Schmitt pulled it out to an 0.63-second lead halfway through and then pulled away for an Olympic record.

France easily took third.

4x200 free Leg 3: Australia's Karly Palmer immediately had the USA's Shannon Vreeland in hot pursuit. Vreeland closed to within a tenth of a second after 100 meters, but Palmer took it back out to 0.54 seconds.

All up to Allison Schmitt now.

Want another medal, Dana?
Clive Rose/Getty Images

4x200 free Leg 2: The USA's Dana Vollmer easily ran down France's Bonnet and briefly held the lead over Australia's Melanie Schlanger. The Aussie recovered to lead by 0.60 seconds at the handoff. Strange to see the Americans fading at the end of each leg, but it's a two-team race at the moment.

4x200 free Leg 1: USA's Missy Franklin went out to the lead after 50 meters ahead of France's Camille Muffat and Australia's Bronte Barratt. They stayed in the order through 100, and then Muffat closed on Franklin. The USA kept a narrow lead at 150 but was third at the handoff.

So, we're going faster in the final?
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The relay swimmers are finally walking out to the pool deck after some pomp and circumstance.

Your lineup for the USA in this 4x200-meter freestyle relay:

Missy Franklin will lead off tonight's 4x200M freestyle relay. Then Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland and Allison Schmitt. 3 gold medalists.

— Barry Svrluga (@barrysvrluga) August 1, 2012

Hungarian veteran Laszlo Cseh takes the second 200-meter individual medley semi with a time right in between those of Americans Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Those three are set for a thrilling final, though we'd have to guess Cseh and Phelps will be racing for second behind Lochte, who may have been unfairly given up for dead after his 4x100 relay flop.

Next up, a couple of medal ceremonies, then the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

Punch that air, Nathan Adrian.
Clive Rose/Getty Images

So to recap the last 30 minutes or so: Nathan Adrian won the first U.S. gold medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle since 1988, Rebecca Soni set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke semifinal, and Ryan Lochte pulled away from Michael Phelps in the first semifinal of the men's 200-meter individual medley.

Still one IM semi and the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay to come.

Trade tips:

Don't think it's an advantage to get 1st TV interview after a world record. Soni still breathing too hard to say much intelligible to #BBC

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) August 1, 2012

By the time the athletes get to the newspaper-ish reporters in the mixed zone, they've recovered. Might be a little surly after dealing with TV people, though.

It's only a semi, but Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps had an entertaining duel in the 200-meter individual medley. Lochte pulled away to win it in 1:56.13, with Phelps 0.98 seconds back after appearing to concede the semifinal down the stretch.

Here's how it broke down:

After butterfly: Phelps by 0.18

After backstroke: Phelps by 0.06 (Britain's James Goddard 0.18 back)

After breaststroke: Lochte by 0.31

Now it's Ryan Lochte vs. Michael Phelps in 200-meter individual medley ... semifinals. Let's see if they hold anything back.

Al Bello/Getty Images

WORLD RECORD for the USA's Rebecca Soni in the women's 200-meter breaststroke semifinals. The time: 2:20.00.

Soni swam in the second semi and was off by herself, 2.40 ahead of Japan's Satomi Suzuki.

Denmark's Rikke Pederson won the first semi in 2:22.23.

Russian favorite Iuilia Efimova qualified fourth. The USA's Micah Lawrence is sixth, safely in the final.

A couple of comments:

Nathan Adrian is the 1st American to win men's 100m free since Matt Biondi in 1988.

— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) August 1, 2012

So proud of olympic champion and old berkeley school mate Nathan Adrian!!!!

— Milorad Cavic (@Milorad_Cavic) August 1, 2012

Rocky said it best, "yo Adrian"

— Ryan Murphy (@ryan_f_murphy) August 1, 2012

THE USA'S NATHAN ADRIAN has won the 100-meter freestyle, the first American to do so since 1988.

Australia's James Magnussen lived up to his "Missile" nickname after the turn, taking the lead from Adrian. But the American came back and touched the wall 0.01 seconds ahead.

Brazil's Cesar Cielo had a fast start and led at the turn ahead of Canada's Brent Hayden and Adrian. Hayden held on for third ahead of France's Yannick Agnel.

Australia's Missile
Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Two "Missiles" tonight -- Australia's James Magnussen and the USA's Missy Franklin. Magnussen up next in a compelling men's 100-meter freestyle final. USA hasn't won gold since 1988.

China's Jiao Liuyang has won the women's 200-meter butterfly by a comfortable margin with an Olympic record, chasing down Spain's Mireia Belmonte Garcia.

Jiao and Liu Zige took off early, but Belmonte Garcia and Britain's Jemma Lowe stuck with the Chinese duo. Belmonte Garcia pushed ahead of Jiao and Liu at the final turn. 

Japan's Natsumi Hoshi stormed back in the last leg to take bronze ahead of Americans Kathleen Hersey and Cammile Adams. Lowe took sixth. Liu slid to eighth.

Next up: the women's 200-meter butterfly final. Chinese swimmers have dominated this event recently, but the USA's Kathleen Hersey was awfully fast in qualifying. Britain's Jemma Lowe also has a shot at coming up with something special.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

And we'll stop for a medal ceremony for the 200-meter breaststroke. Daniel Gyurta of Hungary takes the center step, but the widest smile belongs to Britain's Michael Jamieson.

Tyler Clary found no serious challengers in the second semi of the men's 200-meter backstroke.

Hungary's Gabor Balog led at the halfway point but faded. Clary pulled out to a lead of more than a body length and coasted to the finish.

So the Americans, Clary and Ryan Lochte, will have the middle lanes for the final. China's Zhang Fenglin was the third-fastest qualifier, followed by Japanese contender Ryosuke Irie.

Ryan Lochte wins the first semifinal in the 200-meter backstroke while seemingly expending less energy than I use to go to the fridge. Japan's Ryosuke Irie was second.

Will Tyler Clary get the lane next to Lochte in the final?

Counting records?

Daniel Gyurta of Hungary wins the men's 200 breaststroke in 2:07.28. That's the fourth world record at these 2012 Games.

— Alan Abrahamson (@alanabrahamson) August 1, 2012

More semis now, this time in the men's 200-meter backstroke. First semi includes Ryan Lochte; second includes Tyler Clary.

An Olympic record in the semis? Believe it. Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo led at the turn and kept going fast to touch the wall at 53.05.

Then Missy Franklin touched second to qualify for the final with ease in third place overall. Australia's Melanie Schlanger, who won the first heat, qualified second overall. But the rest of the first semi was slower, and Jessica Hardy, third in that first race, barely made the final.

British favorite Fran Halsall tied for fifth overall and will be in the final.

Hardy in the heats.
Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

Now Jessica Hardy steps up for the women's 100-meter freestyle semifinal. This isn't her best event, but she made the U.S. team, and she's going for it. Germany's Britta Steffen is the one to watch here.

It was a tight pack at the turn, but Australia's Melanie Schlanger pulled away a bit to finish just ahead of Belarus's Aliaksandra Herasimen and Hardy.

Top three times: Schlanger 53.38, Herasimen 53.78, Hardy 53.86.

Steffen, shockingly, well back at 54.18.