FOUR AMERICAN RECORDS FALL AT SC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ryan Lochte won the first gold medal of the meet for Team USA, and U.S. swimmers took down four American records in the opening night of competition at the FINA Short Course World Championships in Dubai.

Lochte earned the top spot on the podium after cruising to an American record in the men’s 200m free. His time of 1:41.08 lowered both the American and Championship records. The U.S. women's 4x200m free relay team also broke the American record Wednesday.

In the semifinals of the men’s 100m breast, Mike Alexandrov broke the American record with a time of 57.18. 

Lochte led the 200m free from the start. His time broke Michael Phelps’ American record in the event as well as the championship record Lochte set in the morning prelims. Russia’s Danila Izotov won the silver in 1:41.70 and Tunisia’s Ous Mellouli earned the bronze in 1:42.02.

The women’s 4x200m free relay team of Katie Hoff, Dagny Knutson, Missy Franklin and Dana Vollmer finished their race under world record pace but were fourth among the field. The team still managed to break the American record that was set at the last Short Course World Championships in 2008. China won gold and broke the first world record of 2010 with a time of 7:35.94. Australia earned silver in 7:37.57 and France won the bronze in 7:38.33.

The U.S. men’s 4x100m free relay team of Nathan Adrian, Garrett Weber-Gale, Ricky Berens and Locthe finished fourth with a time of 3:06.10 but also managed to set an American record.  France picked up the gold and set a championship record with a time of 3:04.78. Russia was second in 3:04.82 and Brazil was third in 3:05.74.

The U.S. men's 4x100m free relay team broke the previous American record of 3:08.44 set at the 2008 Short Course World Championships in Manchester, England.  The U.S. men set the world record of 3:03.30 at the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool.  That record was never recognized as an American record because the high-tech polyurethane suits used by the U.S. men at the Duel in the Pool had been previously banned by USA Swimming.

Ariana Kukors finished sixth in the women’s 400m IM with a time of 4:31.01. The gold medal went to Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia, who won in championship record time of 4:24.21. Shiwen Ye of China was second in 4:24.55 and China’s Xuanxu Li was third in 4:29.05.

Other U.S. swimmers also turned in strong performances in their respective semifinal events. Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Soni qualified as the third seed for the final in the 50m breast with her time of 30.00. In the men’s 100m back, both Nick Thoman and David Plummer  turned in strong swims to advance to Thursday’s final. Thoman will be seeded third with his time of 50.69 while Plummer is seeded seventh in 50.94.

Natalie Coughlin  and Missy Franklin will both swim in Thursday’s final of the 100m back. Franklin is the second seed with her time of 57.49 while Coughlin is the fourth seed in 57.61.

At the end of the first day of competition, Team USA’s medal count stands at one gold medal. Competition continues Thursday and runs through Sunday in Dubai.