SYDNEY, Australia (AP) _ This time, the Thorpedo didn't miss his mark.

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe solidified his place as an Olympic hero Tuesday, bouncing back from defeat in the 200-meter freestyle to lead a world record-breaking 800-meter relay and win his third gold medal.

The Aussies' time of 7 minutes, 7.05 seconds capped another night of records at the pool, including the new Olympic mark Tom Malchow set as he won the United States' sixth swimming gold.

Malchow's individual glory gave the United States something to cheer about on a day when some U.S. teams took a dive and an American medal favorite pulled out of the 100 meters at the Sydney Games.

The U.S. women's gymnastics team went from gold medalists to no medalists. Winners in Atlanta four years ago, the women finished fourth in the team competition.

A few hours earlier, Japan had snapped the American softball team's 112-game winning streak.

More bad news: A spokeswoman for Inger Miller's track club said the world's second-ranked sprinter will miss at least the 100 meters _ and maybe the 200 and 400 relay _ because of an injury.

At the aquatic center, Malchow shouted, pumped his arms furiously and pointed at the crowd after swimming 1:55.35 to beat the Olympic mark he set in prelims.

"For four years, I've wanted that moment," he said.

Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, the man who shocked Thorpe _ and about every other Aussie _ by winning the 200 free Monday, also set another world record Tuesday. He swam 47.84 seconds in semifinals of the 100 free.

Thorpe, just 17, became Australia's most-celebrated citizen Saturday night when he won the 400-meter freestyle and then touched the wall first in an epic 400-free relay victory over the United States.

After settling for silver Monday, Thorpe made sure his next race didn't turn out the same way. He led off for the Australian relay, effortlessly cut through the water and staked his team to an insurmountable lead over the United States.

By the time William Kirby finished the final lap, it wasn't a question of whether Australia would beat its own record of 7:08.79, but rather just how much it would lower the mark.

The relay was supposed to Thorpe's last event, but the Aussies liked his performance so much they're going to give him another chance to swim in the 400 medley relay starting Friday.

Australia was second in the medal count at the end of competition Tuesday. The United States was first with 18 medals (7 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze), Australia had 17 (6-5-6) and China was third with 15 (6-2-7).

_ GYMNASTICS: The U.S. women's team finally performed with some fire, but it wasn't enough to recapture the glory of Atlanta. The squad that won gold four years ago, wound up fourth in the team competition on Tuesday.

World champion Romania won with 154.608 points. Russia won the silver and China took the bronze.

SOFTBALL: Snap!

The U.S. softball team had won 112 games in a row, but a frustrating 2-1 loss to Japan in 11 innings broke the streak.

The Japanese beat the United States for the first time ever and halted a run of U.S. victories that dated back to the 1998 world championships.

Star second baseman Dot Richardson committed two errors that allowed both Japanese runs to score in the top of the 11th.

The United States lacked offensive punch, too. The Americans stranded 20 runners and loaded the bases in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings but couldn't get anyone home.

Despite the loss, the United States is likely to make it to the medal round.

_ TRACK AND FIELD: The woman ranked second in the world in the 100 and 200 meters behind Marion Jones is definitely out for the Olympic 100 and may miss the rest of her events, a spokesman for her track club said. Miller, second in the 100 and 200 at the U.S. trials, is hurt and may have to scrap her plans to challenge Jones in Sydney, said Karyn Nguyen, a spokeswoman for the HSI track club for which Miller runs.

_ SOCCER: Move over, ladies. The U.S. men's soccer team is out for glory, too. Sometimes overshadowed by the world-champion women's team, the men beat Kuwait 3-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Olympic tournament for the first time. Landon Donovan's goal in the 89th minute sealed the win.

_ BASKETBALL: This Dream Team kept on winning.

A few hours after the U.S. softball lost for the first time in two years, the men's basketball team continued to dominate the Olympic tournament, routing Italy 93-61. Spectacular dunks by Ray Allen and Antonio McDyess highlighted a 14-0, second-half run that put the game away.

_ BOXING: Now the American boxers are 8-for-8.

Jose Navarro won his first Olympic fight at 112 pounds to keep the United States boxers unbeaten at the Sydney Games. He outpointed Hermensen Ballo of Indonesia 16-10.

Jermain Taylor in the 156-pound class also got through his first bout, beating Dimitriy Usagin of Bulgaria.

U.S. boxers have won all their fights so far at the Olympics.

_TENNIS: No problems for the U.S. women but lots of trouble for the U.S. men.

Second-ranked Venus Williams beat Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-2, while third-seeded Monica Seles made quick work of Hungarian Katalin Marosi-Aracama on the first day of the women's singles tournament. Seles won 6-0, 6-1 in a match that took just 48 minutes.

The tournament's already over for Vince Spadea and Todd Martin. Australian Pat Rafter beat Spadea in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, while German Rainer Schuttler defeated Martin 6-2, 6-0.

_ WATER POLO: Their Australian surroundings must be rubbing off on the U.S. women's water polo team. Their reaction to their first defeat of the Olympics: no worries.

"It's the past," goalkeeper Nicolle Payne said.

Australian Bridgette Gusterson scored the game-winner as the Aussies beat the United States 7-6.

_ EQUESTRIAN: A bad break for New Zealand, a lucky one for the United States equestrian squad.

The Americans started Tuesday in fourth place but moved up to third and took the bronze medal in the three-day team event. New Zealand had been in third place, but two of its horses pulled up lame, so it couldn't complete the event.

Australia won the gold medal and Britain took the silver.

_ BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Rob Heidger and Kevin Wong split two consolation matches but still wound up making the final 16 of the men's tournament based on point differential. Heidger and Wong play the Mexican duo of Juan Ibarra and Joel Sotelo on Friday.

_ BASEBALL: Ernie Young doubled home two runs and hit a solo homer as the United States stayed unbeaten with a 6-2 win over the Netherlands.

(Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)