Shanghai: Dana Vollmer has given the United States its first gold medal in pool swimming at the world championships, catching Australia's Alicia Coutts in the final 20 meters to win the 100-meter butterfly.
Vollmer finished in 56.87 seconds. Coutts, who was nearly a half-second under the world record after 50 meters, finished second in 56.94. China's Lu Ying earned bronze in 57.06
The world record is held by Monday's fourth-place finisher, Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden. It was one of 43 world marks set at Rome in 2009 before high-tech body suits were banned at the beginning of 2010.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, July 25, 2011, 16:24