The Games heated up yesterday as some world and meet records were shattered, with Michael Phelps setting the pool on fire and China adding four more golds to its tally of two on Saturday.

Diving queens Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia began China's gold hunt winning the women's 3m springboard synchronized title.

"I'm so happy to win at home. It was not as easy as most people thought," said the four-time world champion Guo.

Wu was overjoyed too: "I'm very happy to have won a gold in front of the home crowd."

China's other golds came in judo, shooting and weightlifting.

But the most surprising and perhaps the most rewarding Chinese performance was in swimming, with local boy Zhang Lin winning the silver in the men's 400m freestyle. It was China's first Olympic silver in men's swimming.

Zhang went into the final as the second best qualifier after breaking the Asian record, held by yesterday's winner, Park Taeh-wan of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Zhang said it’s not over yet because the Chinese swimming team could do better than the last Games.

Judoka Xian Dongmei of China defeated the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) An Kum-ae to defend her title in the women's 52kg, sending the home crowd into raptures.

Xian, who became a mother 18 months ago, said: "I'm really thankful to my husband for supporting my comeback after marriage and the birth of our daughter."

Long Qingquan, 18, won China's second weightlifting gold - in the men's 56kg - lifting 292kg in his international debut.

"I was a little bit nervous, but I tried not to think about it and I focused on my lift," Long said.

Guo Wenjun broke the 12-year-old Olympic record in the women's 10m air-pistol to win China's fourth gold.

Australia's Stephanie Rice followed American star Phelps to smash the world record in the women's 400m individual medley.

The Netherlands sprung a surprise, snatching a gold in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.

The Republic of Korea beat China to win gold in the women's team archery, earning its sixth straight Olympic title.

The Czech Republic's David Kostelecky won the gold in men's trap shooting with a brilliant final round performance to surge past a nervous Alexey Alipov of Russia.

Thailand's Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon won the gold in the women's 53kg weightlifting, and Britain's Nicole Cooke pedaled to first place in the women's cycling road race.

Masato Uchishiba joined the ranks of Japanese judo greats by defeating Benjamin Darbelet of France, defending his title in the men's 66-kg.

Italian fencer Matteo Tagliariol won the gold in the men's individual epee beating Frenchman Fabrice Jeannet.