Michael Phelps won his 23rd Olympic gold in what looks like being his final Games, as Great Britain took silver in the men's 4x100m medley relay.
Phelps, 31, secured his fifth gold of Rio 2016 when he teamed up with Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller and Nathan Adrian to set a new Games record of three minutes 27.95 seconds.
Britain finished 2.71 seconds adrift, with Australia in third.
USA also successfully defended their title in the women's 4x100m medley.
Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer and Simone Manuel clocked 3:53.13 to win USA's 1,000th gold at a summer Games.
"Getting off the bus and walking to the pool tonight, I pretty much felt myself starting to crack," said Phelps.
"Last warm-up, last time putting on a suit, last time walking out in front of people, representing my country... it's insane.
"This is how I wanted to finish my career. I've lived a dream come true. Being able to cap it off with these Games is just the perfect way to finish."
The American legend bowed out with 28 medals from five Olympics after making his debut in 2000.
However Britain's James Guy, who took on Phelps in the butterfly leg of the relay, said he expects to see the American racing at the Toyko 2020 Olympics.
"I don't think he'll retire," said Guy. "I think he wants 25 golds and he's got 23. I think he'll want two more."
Murphy set the pace for the Americans in the first leg of the relay, recording a new backstroke world record of 51.85 seconds as Britain's Chris Walker-Hebbon finished his stint in sixth.
But a blistering breaststroke leg from 100m gold medallist and world record holder Adam Peaty, whose split was 56.59, saw Britain move into first place.
The Americans regained the lead in the butterfly, as Phelps overtook Guy, and Adrian held off Duncan Scott in the final straight to give the USA their 16th swimming gold medal in Rio.
With one gold and five silvers, it was British swimming's most successful Games since 1908.
Phelps spoke to Peaty after the race and was stunned by the 21-year-old's individual performance.
"He was swearing and said '56.5 is mad'. He was pretty impressed," said Peaty. "Looking at the TV as a kid you never think you'd impress Michael Phelps with all those golds round his neck.
"It's crazy to see what he's done and to race with him and against him. It's a shame he doesn't do breaststroke."
Fran Halsall claimed Britain's seventh fourth-placed finish of the meet in the women's 50m freestyle final, before coming in seventh with Georgia Davies, Chloe Tutton, Siobhan-Marie O'Connor in the women's 4x100m medley relay.
"I was just giving it all I could," said Halsall. "I think I nailed my race. I'm gutted not to have come away with what I wanted, but that's sport."
Source: BBC NEWS
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