MONTREAL, July 30: Aaron Peirsol and Leisel Jones both set world records to win their second gold medals at the world swimming championships on Friday while Michael Phelps collected his fourth courtesy of another American relay victory. Peirsol lowered his own 200 metres backstroke world record to join Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett as the only swimmers to win the same event at three world championships.

Then Jones slashed 0.72 seconds off Amanda Beard’s world record to win the 200m breaststroke final and add the gold to her win in the 100m earlier this week. Australia’s Olympic champion Jodie Henry also won her second gold this week with victory in the 100m freestyle to confirm her place as the fastest woman in the world.

Jones and Henry will team up in the medley relay on Saturday where Australia will be heavily favoured to win another gold.

Results

Men

200m backstroke final: 1. Aaron Peirsol (USA) 1:54.66 - gold; 2. Markus Rogan (AUT) 1:56.63 - silver; 3. Ryan Lochte (USA) 1:57.00 - bronze.

200m breaststroke final: 1. Brendan Hansen (USA) 2:09.85 - gold; 2. Mike Brown (CAN) 2:11.22 - silver; 3. Genki Imamura (JPN) 2:11.54 bronze

4x200m freestyle relay final: 1. United States (Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay, Klete Keller) 7:06.58 - gold; 2. Canada (Brent Hayden, Colin Russell, Rick Say, Andrew Hurd) 7:09.73 - silver; 3. Australia (Nicholas Sprenger, Patrick Murphy, Andrew Mewing, Grant Hackett) 7:10.59 - bronze

Women

100m freestyle final: 1. Jodie Henry (AUS) 54.18 - gold; 2. (tied) Malia Metella (FRA) 54.74 - silver and Natalie Coughlin (USA) 54.74 - silver.

200m breaststroke final: 1. Leisel Jones (AUS) 2:21.72 - gold; 2. Anne Poleska (GER) 2:25.84 - silver ; 3. Mirna Jukic (AUT) 2:27.11 - bronze

Water polo:

Women:

Final: Hungary 10 United States 7 (OT)

Third-place match

Canada 8 Russia 3

Match for 5th place - Greece 10 Australia 8

Match for 7th place - Italy 12 Germany 8.—AFP