MISSION COMPLETE!

BEIJING (AP) — One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Yep, Michael Phelps got them all.

Phelps wrapped up the greatest Olympics anyone has ever had, capturing his record-breaking eighth gold medal Sunday by helping the United States win the 400-meter medley relay — in yet another world-record time, too.

"Nothing is impossible," Phelps said. "With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination, and that's something I learned and something that helped me."

Phelps swam the third leg, the butterfly, the same stroke he won Saturday for No. 7, which tied Mark Spitz's Olympics record and won him a $1 million bonus from a sponsor. This victory pushed him past Spitz, alone with the mark of most gold medals at a single Olympics. He'd already claimed the title of most career golds a few days before; his tally is up to 14, five ahead of Spitz and others.

"Epic," said Spitz, whose record stood since Munich in 1972, 13 years before Phelps was born. "It goes to show you that not only is this guy the greatest swimmer of all time and the greatest Olympian of all time, he's maybe the greatest athlete of all time."

Meanwhile, the "Redeem Team" clinched first place in its group.

The way they did it, though, shows they truly are a force.

Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony each scored 16 points and the Americans made 48 percent of their 3-pointers to rout the reigning world champions.

An emotional Yao Ming scored 25 points to lead China past Dirk Nowitzki and Germany 59-55 to reach the brink of the medal round.

"We fought hard to the end," said Yi Jianlian of the New Jersey Nets, who added nine points and 11 rebounds.