China destroy record for relay gold

Rome: China destroyed the world record to capture gold in the women`s 4x200 metres freestyle relay final at the world championships.The quartet of Yang Yu, Zhu Qian Wei, Liu Jing and Pang Jiaying won in seven minutes 42.08 seconds, more than two seconds better than Australia`s mark of 7:44.31 from the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese team led for most of the race but they had to hang on after 2007 world champions the United States staged a strong bid to reel them in, with Allison Schmitt pushing hard on the closing straight. Britain, led by double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, bagged the bronze medal behind the Americans. Italy put in an improved showing for fourth place after 200 and 400 freestyle gold winner Federica Pellegrini publicly blasted her team mates earlier on Thursday when they scraped into the final with the eighth fastest time. Olympic champions Australia could only manage fifth place. Bureau Report