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Mellouli: Endurance winner.
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Oussama Mellouli was a surprise winner of the 1500metres freestyle as he denied the two-time defending champion Grant Hackett a record-breaking gold.
The Australian was aiming to become the first male swimmer to win gold in the same event at three consecutive Games having topped the podium in Sydney and Athens but after a long gruelling battle, he lost out by 0.69 seconds.
Mellouli's time of 14 minutes 40.84 seconds was outside the Olympic record Hackett set in the heats but the triumph gave Tunisia their first medal of the Games.
Davies disappointment
Great Britain's David Davies, who was aiming for a second successive Olympic medal, kept pace with the leaders for the opening 500m but faded away as Mellouli, Hackett and Canada's Ryan Cochrane upped the pace in the second half of the race.
The Welshman finished sixth and his time of 14:52.11 was six seconds slower than the one he set in qualifying for the final.
Mellouli's win completed a remarkable comeback after serving an 18-month ban for the use of stimulant Adderall, for which he tested positive in late 2006.
"I've been waiting for this moment for two years," said the Tunisian. "I had expectations for the 400m freestyle but this is a great surprise.
"I felt good in the first 400m, at 800m and 900m I started believing I could win.
"It was all calculated. I slowed down in the penultimate 100m to save energy and attack in the final 50m.
"(The gold medal) is the redemption I wanted and I got it."
Davies said: "The heats were something I've never experienced before. The event has changed and everybody is going to have to re-think their strategies. It's basically a 1500m sprint - it's unbelievable.
"I knew the 36 hours in between would be a race to recover and I did everything I could but in the end it was really telling on me..
"The elephants and pianos were all on my shoulders and my heart was pounding and my stomach was gone, and it's a long way when you're feeling like that."
