Team USA wins its FIRST gold medal of the Olympics in Paris as they defend their men's 4x100m freestyle relay title with a dominant performance

Team USA has won its first gold medal of the Paris Olympics after a dominant performance in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. 

The quartet of Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong, Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy powered away from their Australian rivals to win gold in 3:09.28 in the last final of a raucous opening night at the La Defense Arena.

The Australians were forced to settle for silver in 3:10.35, while Italy took the bronze in 3:10.70. 

Dressel collected his eighth career Olympic gold medal, when he anchored them to a second successive 4x100m freestyle title. 

Matt King and Ryan Held swam in the morning heats but were switched out in favour of Alexy and Giuliano for the final. King and Held will also receive gold medals.

The USA men's 4x100m freestyle relay team produced the nation's first gold medal in Paris

Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel celebrate their success 

Dressel collected his eighth career Olympic gold medal, when he anchored the team 

It comes after Katie Ledecky was forced to settle for bronze in the women's 400m freestyle as Ariarne Titmus claimed gold once again. 

The Australian defended her gold from Tokyo in a battle dubbed the 'Race of the Century, leading wire to wire. 

However, Ledecky wasn't just beaten out by Titmus. The American failed to even clinch silver as Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh won her first Olympic medal. 

It was a highly-anticipate three-way duel, with the trio all having held the world record over the distance in the past three years.

In the much-hyped final, the Tasmanian-born 'Terminator' Titmus clocked three minutes 57.49 seconds to win from McIntosh (3:58.37) and Ledecky (4:00.86).