Best of the Day

Destiny awaits

Roger Federer is one victory away from his first Olympic singles gold medal after a remarkable 3-6 7-6 19-17 victory over Juan Martin Del Potro in the semi-finals. He will play Andy Murray on Sunday in a repeat of the Wimbledon final last month.

Federer's match lasted four hours and 26 minutes, surpassing Rafael Nadal's victory over Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Masters in 2009 as the longest three-set men's singles match in the Open era.

Federer, who won gold in the men's doubles with Stanislas Wawrinka in 2008, is now guaranteed at least a silver medal, while Del Potro must recover to battle for bronze on Sunday after leaving Centre Court in tears.

Murray set up another Wimbledon showdown with Roger Federer - only this time for a gold medal - with a superb 7-5 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

The British number one is now certain of at least a silver but could go even better than that if he can defeat the man who denied him a maiden grand slam at SW19 last month.

Golden record

Great Britain's cyclists set a new world record in the men's team pursuit on their way to a gold medal.

Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas produced yet another dominant display inside the London Velodrome, and their time of 3min 51.659sec proved 2.922sec quicker than their Australian opponents, who had to settle for silver.

The British quartet, who won Track Cycling World Championships gold in Melbourne in April, have now successfully defended the title won by Clancy, Thomas, Bradley Wiggins and Paul Manning in Beijing.

It was the second time the British quartet had improved the world record they set in Melbourne in April, and they now have the four fastest times in history.

Clancy, Thomas, Burke and Kennaugh soaked up the adulation of the partisan crowd, finding family members around the spectator seating of the velodrome on their laps of honour while waving the Union flag.

The People's medal

Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins won Britain's second rowing gold with victory in the women's double sculls.

The British duo held off a determined challenge from Australia to finish a length ahead of their rivals with Poland coming home a distant third to take bronze.

The victory was especially sweet for Grainger who had to settle for silver at the past three Olympic Games. And she paid tribute to her supporters for getting her to London 2012 in prime form.

"I feel this medal of all of them is the people's medal," said the Scot. "I feel so many people have been behind me and supported me and wanted this for me as much as I have.

"It's off the back of everyone I've ever worked with, everyone I've ever rowed with, everyone who's helped me going back to my family who were there from the beginning, to my friends at school, university.

"Every single person's been a part of this and it makes the medal seem so much more special."

Golden girl

Victoria Pendleton claimed Great Britain's third gold medal in two days inside the Olympic Velodrome with a stunning triumph in the women's Keirin.

The win was Britain's third success from four events and Pendleton's second gold after her Olympic sprint title in 2008.

World champion Anna Meares made an early move as soon as the pace-setting bike went off the track, but Pendleton accelerated from one-and-a-half laps to go and took to the front before sensationally pulling away to claim her second Olympic gold.

Pendleton said: "I can barely believe it right now. It was really hard before it with the excitement of the great job the girls did qualifying with a world record and then the guys smash the world record and win a gold medal - I was just, like, 'Focus, Vic, focus. You've still got a race'. But it was so hard. I can't believe it."

Told she had produced the perfect tactical race, Pendleton added: "I think Jan [van Eijden, coach] might have something to say about that.

"But he said to me, 'Don't look for their race. Just make your own. When it's your moment, just go'.

"My legs were good from last night and I still wanted to really show what I've got and it worked out okay, I guess."

Perfect farewell

Michael Phelps produced a strong finish to take gold in the men's 100 metres butterfly and claim the 17th Olympic title of his career.

The race is set to be the final individual swimming event Phelps will take part in, with the 27-year-old scheduled to retire after the medley relay on Saturday night.

Phelps was only seventh at halfway, with Milorad Cavic leading, before the American produced a customary storming final length to touch for the win in 51.21secs.

Phelps said: "I am just happy that the last one was a win, that is all I wanted coming into tonight.

"I thought it would hit me harder than it is right now, a lot of those emotions haven't gone through my brain over the last week.

"Once I am done and once tomorrow is over, I think a lot more emotion will come out. I am in meet mode at the moment, you start and it's over.

"My start of the meet wasn't what we wanted but I picked up some steam and was able to finish with two individual golds. You can't really finish much better, so I am really pleased about how it ended."