ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Michael Phelps won another gold medal, this time wearing khaki shorts and flip-flops.

From a front-row seat at the Olympic pool, Phelps watched his teammates do all the work in the 400-meter medley relay Saturday night. When they won with a world-record time, Phelps got a gold, too - his record-tying eighth medal of the Athens Games.

''It felt like I was part of that race,'' said Phelps, who earned his gold by swimming the event in the preliminaries.

Phelps led the U.S. contingent in cheers, pounded the side of an ''Athens 2004'' sign, waved an American flag and screamed ''Go Jason!'' as Jason Lezak completed the rout, easily retaining the lead built up by Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker.

When the scoreboard flashed ''WR'' - world record - Phelps threw up his arms to celebrate.

''I can't tell you about how exciting it is to be on the other side of the sport,'' he said.

Jenny Thompson had to swim for her spot in the Olympic record book, but it was another forgettable performance.

Looking her age, the 31-year-old Thompson lost the lead in the women's medley relay but still got a silver - the 12th medal of her career, more than any other U.S. Olympian. Phelps earned a spot in the medley final by winning the 100 butterfly Friday night. But he ceded his place to Crocker, to give the silver medalist a chance to make up for a poor showing in the 400 free relay.