US Women Win Gold, Set Medley World Record

The US set a world record to win the women's medley relay at the London Olympics today. The Americans clocked 3 minutes, 52.05 seconds, slicing 0.14 off the previous mark set by China at the 2009 world championships at the height of the high-tech bodysuit era. Missy Franklin swam the leadoff backstroke leg, Rebecca Soni did the breaststroke, Dana Vollmer competed in butterfly, and Allison Schmitt had the anchor leg in freestyle.

In other Olympic news, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica outleaned world champion Carmelita Jeter of the US and finished in 10.75 seconds today to win her second consecutive 100-meter Olympic gold medal. She delivered the second-fastest Olympic 100 in history to edge Jeter, whose time was 10.78. Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, the 200 champion at the past two Summer Games, earned the bronze in 10.81. The last woman to win the dash twice in a row was Gail Devers of the US in 1992 and 1996. (More 2012 London Olympics stories.)