now, but in australia, the missile is james magnussen. ght he could swim into olympic greatness. nbc's sara james has his story. >> reporter: he's hunky and hot, but can he live up to the hype? >> there's a missile heading for london, and it's set to explode in the olympic pool! he is incredible. >> reporter: the aussie missile, james magnussen, a 21-year-old newcomer fresh off a world championship win in swimming blue-ribbon events, the 100 meter freestyle. >> james magnussen! >> reporter: now with his eyes on the prize in london. >> i've come here to win gold. i think i'm in a good position to win this one. >> reporter: bold and brash with aussie pride on the line. >> the missile leads off for australia. >> reporter: but the aussies have had a rough start. >> all sorts of expectations on him. >> reporter: and the relay team led by magnussen didn't even make the podium in the 4 x 100 freestyle. >> huge gold-medal favorites finish fourth. >> reporter: leaving the ever-confident magnussen at a loss. >> i think it was just nerves, pressure.

the victory just 0.01 ahead of australia's missile james magnussen. so close, adrian wasn't even sure he won. >> i thought i looked up and started celebrating. then i thought wait a minute, did i really win? then a flood of emotions. >> michael phelps is trying for more olympic medals. wednesday he went head to head with teammate ryan lochte in the semifinal of the individual medley. lochte finishing first, phelps second. the final duel in the pool is later today. more gold for missy franklin and the u.s. women. they won the 4x200 freestyle relay, thanks for allison schmidt who rallied from behind for victory. >> i can't stop smiling. i think it the biggest smile i've had in my life and that says a lot because i love smiling. >> and danell leyva had some difficulty on the pommel horse but closed the day with his routine on the bars. bad news in badminton. eight players kicked out of the game for trying to lose. players were disqualified for trying to lose on purpose so they could get a better spot in the next competition. fans were outraged, some aski

basically a fingernail better than james magnussen from australia.re not legally allowed to show you any of those highlights. but another gold. >> .01 of a second. you can't get much closer than that. >> a sliver. >>> mark thank you. thank you for trusting ktvu, channel 2 news. we'll see you the next time news breaks. >> the ktvu morning team will have all the latest overnight news. here from 4:30 until 9:00 tomorrow morning. we're always here for you at ktvu.com and mobile ktvu. ♪ [ music ]

basically a fingernail better than james magnussen from australia. you any of those highlights. but another gold. >> .01 of a second. you can't get much closer than that. >> a sliver. >>> mark thank you. thank you for trusting ktvu, channel 2 news. we'll see you the next time news breaks. >> the ktvu morning team will have all the latest overnight news. here from 4:30 until 9:00 tomorrow morning. we're always here for you at ktvu.com and mobile ktvu. ♪ [ music ] [ female announcer ] now get high speed internet at home on our newly expanded advanced digital network, a connection you can count on. introducing at&t u-verse high speed internet with more speed options, reliability and wi-fi hot spots than ever. go to our website below to get u-verse high speed internet for just 14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. it's all the speed you need all at a great price. our newly expanded advanced digital network gives you more of what you enjoy online. and with at&t, our wireless gateway turns your home into a private wi-fi hot spot that

he has to get by a guy named james magnussen, who is the favorite. kristian ipsen will be going at springboard synchronized diving. his parents own a pizza chain, scipolini's pizza. if he comes away with some hardware, they might have to name a pizza in his honor. >> they are going to have a massive pizza party. i love it. i am going to have to order some cheese from there. thank you very much, mark. >>> bringing the stories of the olympics home to the bay area started here at home long ago. as lauren scott shows us, we have been keeping it all online for you to watch whenever you would like. >>> the stories behind the olympians and why they made their way to the games in london is a great part of why we gravitate to them. many of the locals we have been following for months, if not years. part of our digital coverage of the games in london is the wide array of video clips available behind the screen. the features on bay area natives making their mark in london. we have the stories in their words and with our own uniquely bay area take. video offerin

but touching out the australian james "the missile" magnussen. and there are lochte and phelps cheering on saying that's one of the greatest swims they've ever seen. think about four years of prep, coming down to 0.01 of a second. and those two men, lochte and phelps duelling in the pool today. it should be the best race of the program. the 200-meter individual medley. can't wait. >> love to see the team spirit. that was great. and the unbeatable duo of misty may-treanor and kerri walsh jennings. had what for them was a close call. the beach volleyballers dropped a set for the first time. it was a mere speed bump to victory. >> that was so great. i could not look away. really great. and the biggest heroes of these olympics, perhaps, the fab five. the american gymnasts who grabbed gold and won our heart. two of the team will take center stage in the individual all-around. gabby douglas, otherwise known as the flying squirrel. and aly raisman. and we cannot wait to cheer them on. >> cannot wait. let's get right to our olympics desk in london and ab

but touching out the australian james "the missile" magnussen. you think of all the prep coming down to 0.01 seconds. and lochte and phelps dueling in the pool today. it should be the best race of the program. the 200-meter individual medley. can't wait. >> love to see the team spirit. that was great. and the unbeatable duo of misty may-treanor and kerri walsh. dropped a set for the first time. it was a mere speed bump. >> that was so great. i could not look away. and the biggest heroes of these olympics, perhaps, the fab five. the american gymnasts who grabbed gold and won our heart. two of the team will take center stage in the individual all-around. gabby douglas, otherwise known as the flying squirrel. and aly raisman. and we cannot wait to cheer them on. >> let's get to our olympic best in london and abc's bill weir. bill? >> amy, glimpses of blue sky on a glorious day six here in london. so good to be back with you. what a story in the gym last night. both of danell leyva's parents were cuban gymnasts. his dad swam across the rio grande. la

outtouched world record holder james "the missile" magnuson of australia by the slimmest of margins to earn the goal for the u.s. the victory was particularly sweet after magnussenthe other swimmers to brace yourselves. he gives the u.s. its first olympic gold in the men's 100-meter freestyle since 1988. >>> the u.s. women's relay team featuring individual gold medalist missy franklin and allison schmitt and dana vollmer was the favorite to take first in the 4x200 freestyle relay, but it took a strong finish in the anchor leg to overtake the french who led by a half second before schmitt got into the pool. schmitt en route to a decisive win for the u.s. team. schmitt now has two golds in these olympic games. >>> in the men's gymnastics individual all-around competition, team usa's danell leyva came back from a critical early mistake to win the bronze medal. leyva found himself near the bottom of the standings in 17th place after having difficulty with his pommel horse routine, but a strong performance on the parallel bars and a clutch finish on the high bar moved him up onto the podium. leyva's bronze medal marks only the second all-around medal for a u.s. man s