The US swim team opened its Duel in the Pool tournament against the Europeans Friday by setting a short-course world record in the women's 400-meter medley relay. Missy Franklin, 16, gave the Americans the finishing kick they needed, swimming the freestyle anchor leg of the race for a total time of three minutes, 45.56 seconds. “We have four really great girls in that relay,” Coughlin said. “We were confident going in, and that definitely helped us get the world record.” The Americans captured 12 of the 14 events Friday to seize a commanding 93.5-28.5 points lead heading into the Saturday's second and final day. The US obliterated the old record of 3:47.97 which they set two years ago in the Duel in the Pool competition. Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni and Dana Vollmer also swam the medley for the US Friday. Coughlin got the US off to a fast start with a blazing backstroke performance before handing it over to Soni who swam the breaststroke at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center pool. The Europe team comprised Daryna Zevina of Ukraine, Rikke Moeller Pedersen of Denmark, Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark, and Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands. They finished well back with a time of 3:51.04. The previous record was set just before high-tech swimming suits were banned by the sport's international governing association. The USA just missed out on breaking the record at the short-course world championships last year. “It was amazing and so special,” rising star Franklin said. “It was great to come back and get it. It sets us up really well for next summer.” This marks the fifth instalment of the Duel in the Pool event which was designed to give athletes high-level competition in non-Olympic years. Since its inception in 2003, the American have beaten Australia three times and the Europeans once before. On the men's side, Ryan Lochte won two gold Friday taking the men's 200m backstroke and 400m individual medley. Lochte touched wall in one minute, 48.90 seconds in the backstroke to finish ahead of runner-up Radoslaw Kawecki of Poland who clocked 1:50.12. Thorpe 16th fastest Five-time Olympic Games gold medalist Ian Thorpe finished 16th in the 100m freestyle at the Italian Winter Open meet Friday in the Australian's first long course outing in six years. Thorpe clocked 50.84sec in an event won by Italy's Luca Dotto (48.78sec) in the two-day meet at Riccione. The 29-year-old retired in November 2006 after collecting five Olympic golds and 11 world titles, but announced in February this year that he was returning to the pool with the target of making the 2012 London Olympics.
