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Updated at 3:13 a.m., Friday, August 15, 2008

Phelps dominates Web site interest

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Michael Phelps is dominating digital interest in the Olympics as much as he is the gold medal count.

More than 2 million people have clicked on NBCOlympics.com to watch a video replay of the thrilling men's 4x100 swimming relay, where the Americans scored a come-from-behind victory over the French. Phelps won gold for his role in the relay, although it was teammate Jason Lezak's surge at the end that was the indelible image.

That race alone accounts for more than 40 percent of the nearly 5 million video on demand orders from the Web site, NBC Universal said on Thursday.

Three of the next four most-ordered clips were also Phelps gold medal races, with his 400-meter victory called up 492,000 times. The only non-Phelps video in the top five was a collection of highlights from last Friday's opening ceremony.

Web site users have also called up Phelps' profile 3.7 million times, far and away the most of any other athlete.

Gymnasts Alicia Sacramone and Shawn Johnson were next, each with 1.4 million views, NBC said, followed by Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and fencer Mariel Zagunis.

Nearly 25 million unique users have visited NBC's Web site through five days of competition, with 456 million page views, the network said.

"These record numbers validate our multiplatform strategy," said Gary Zenkel, NBC Olympics president. "They drive viewers to share in the Olympic experience in record numbers."