Records continue to fall at swimming worlds

Mar 30, 2007, 13:52 GMT

Melbourne, Australia - Michael Phelps continued his remarkable run at the 2007 World Championships on Friday, helping the American team set a record in capturing the gold medal in the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay.

Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Klete Keller and Peter Vanderkaay completed the race in a time of seven minutes, 03.24 seconds, breaking the old record of 7:04.66. For Phelps, it was his fifth gold medal of the week.

'We all had to step up and contribute,' said Phelps, who swam the first leg of the race. 'I was happy to get out in clean water.'

The 21-year-old from Baltimore previously won the 200-meter individual medley in record fashion, while doing the same in the 200-meter freestyle and 200- meter butterfly. He also was part of the gold-medal winning 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay team.

Phelps wasn't the only American record-setter on Friday, as Lochte captured the 200-meter backstroke gold in record time. He set a new mark of one minute, 54.32 seconds and beat previous record-holder Aaron Peirsol by 0.48 seconds.

'I still don't think it's true. I'm in shock,' said Lochte, who had to rally past the man that beat him in the 100-meter backstroke earlier this week. 'I kind of looked up at the scoreboard to see where I was. I probably shouldn't have done that, but when I did I saw I was right there with him [Peirsol] and I just kicked.'

American Natalie Coughlin was unable to win the 100-meter freestyle, as Australia's Libby Lenton captured the gold in a time of 53.40 seconds to equal the second-fastest time in history. Coughlin, who swam a semifinal time of 53.40 seconds on Thursday, finished fourth in the final.

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