The swimming competition of the Olympic Games came to a perfect ending Saturday when the United States solidified their lead by winning the men's 4x100m medley relay final in a world record breaking time at the Olympic Games.
In the last event of the swimming competition, the United States defended successfully the men's 4x100m medley relay title in three minutes 30.68, shaving 0.86 seconds off their own previous best set at last year's Barcelona world championships.
The United States were without Michael Phelps after the five-gold winner relinquished his butterfly spot to world record holder Ian Crocker when they bagged the 12th gold medal in the swimming event.
100m and 200m backstroke winner Aaron Peirsol swam within the world record before 100m and 200m breaststroke world record holder Brendan Hansen and Crocker kept the fast pace.
Jason Lezak held the lead through to wrap up the victory while Germany finished in a distant second in 3:33.62.
Japan, featuring 100m and 200m breaststroke winner Kosuke Kitajima, took bronze in 3:35.22.
Sharing the Americans' limelight were the Australia, who also set a new world mark in the women's 4x100m medley relay Saturday night.
Australia came from behind to win in a new world record time of three minutes 57.32, bettering by 0.98 the previous world mark set by defending champions United States in Sydney four years ago.
100m butterfly champion Petria Thomas overtook Jenny Thompson when Australia grabbed the lead and 100m free winner Jodie Henry held it through.
"I am so happy. It was the last chance to get up and win. The girls did an awesome swim and my race was pretty good," said Henry, who set a new world record in the 100m free in the semifinal.
The United States had to settle for the runners-up place in 3:59.12 while Germany came third in 4:00.72.
But the Americans had one thing to celebrate when the 31-year-old Thompson became the most decorated swimmer in the Olympic history after she collected a total of 12 medals from four Olympics including two silvers in Athens.
"That was my last ever Olympic race," said Thompson. "I am so proud of the women in my team."
Defending champion Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands retained her 50m freestyle title to prepare her a best birthday gift when she turns 31 on Tuesday.
World record holder Bruijn, silver medalist in the 100m free, clinched the title in 24.58 seconds, 0.45 outside her own world mark set in Sydney.
"There has been so much pressure on me given the other results Finally, I get the gold," said Bruijn wearing her famous big smile, also taking two bronzes in the 100m fly and 4x100m free relay.
"It's really big. It's going to stay on my face for a couple more weeks, I guess," she said about her smile.
Frenchwoman Malia Metella, fourth place finisher in the 100m free, took silver in 24.89 while Lisbeth Lenton of Australia was third in 24.91.
Defending champion and world record holder Grant Hackett was pushed hard in the 1,500m freestyle before he proved he was still the long-distance king by winning in 14 minutes 43.40 seconds.
Hackett has been unbeaten in the 30-lap race since 1996 and has won the past three world championships.
Although more often than not, Hackett laps the entire field, American teenager Larsen Jensen posed a future threat to him when the 19-year-old finished second in 14:45.29.
British David Davies, also 19, took bronze in 14:45.95.
Twenty-year-old Yuri Prilukov, who had been following Hackett close at heel for most of the race, settled for the fourth place in 14:52.48.
"I knew it was going to be so hard. I just wanted it so bad," said the 24-year-old Hackett. "It meant everything to me. I knew I was able to do it."
"The next four years are going to be tough, but it's OK. I lovea challenge,"
Australia was the biggest winner of the day by taking golds and a bronze but the United States wound up the medals table leader with 12 golds, nine silvers and seven bronzes from the 32 events in eight days.
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2004)
