Newly crowned Athens Olympic champion Ian Thorpe revenged his loss four years ago when he edged defending champion Pieter van den Hoogenband Monday to clinch men's 200m freestyle title in a classic battle also featuring American swimmer Michael Phelps in the Olympic swimming pool.

World record holder Thorpe clocked one minute 44.71 seconds to edge the flying Dutchman Hoogenband, who pushed aside Thorpe for the title in a then world record time of 1:45.35 in Sydney four years ago.

Thorpe, who has broken world record in this event for six times,broke the Olympic Games mark set by Hoogenband at last Olympics.

"I didn't feel good tonight. I tried my best to do the job and tried to go out to keep the pace," said the Athens Olympic 400m free champion.

The 26-year-old Hoogenband, overtaken in the last meters, had to settle for the silver in 1:45.23.

American teenager Phelps will not be able to at least equal Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at a single Olympics as he took bronze in 1:45.32.

The 19-year-old Phelps has claimed the 400m individual medley victory by rewriting his own world record on Saturday but the disappointing third place finish of the U.S. 100m free relay team left him to pin gold hopes on the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly as well the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Men's 200 free leading results

1. Ian Thorpe, Australia, 1:44.71

2. Pieter van den Hoogenband, Netherlands, 1:45.23

3. Michael Phelps, United States, 1:45.32

4. Klete Keller, United States, 1:46.13

5. Grand Hackett, Australia, 1:46.56