PALO ALTO (California), Aug 7: Triple world champion Missy Franklin held off three Olympians to win the women’s 100m freestyle on Saturday, the final day of the US Swimming Championships.

Franklin, the 16-year-old phenomenon who burst on the international scene with three gold medals at the recently concluded World Championships in Shanghai, clocked 53.63 seconds — a time that would have given her bronze in China.

She was level with Olympian Amanda Weir at the turn before finishing as the only swimmer under 54 seconds.It was Franklin’s second national title, after her 100m backstroke victory. Now the teenager heads off to a week’s vacation in Hawaii before returning to high school.

While rising star Franklin was adding to her resume, former world record-holder Brendan Hansen continued his comeback from a three-year retirement with a 200m breaststroke victory to complete a sweep of the men’s breaststroke events.

Hansen, 29, won easily in 2:10.59. Eric Friedland was a distant second, 2.32sec behind.

Hansen, who hopes his comeback leads him to the London Olympics, won the 100 breaststroke on Tuesday.

With world champion Ryan Lochte sitting out, Olympian Matt Grevers won the men’s 200 backstroke in 1:57.26. Grevers, who did not make the American team for Shanghai, swept the backstroke events here.

Results: Men’s: 200m backstroke: 1. Matt Grevers 1:57.26, 2. Rexford Tullius 1:57.48, 3. Nick Thoman 1:59.31.

200m breaststroke: 1. Brendan Hansen 2:10.59, 2. Eric Friedland 2:12.91, 3. Clark Burckle 2:13.08.

1,500m freestyle: 1. Andrew Gemmell 15:01.31, 2. Sean Ryan 15:01.43, 3. Michael Klueh 15:04.24.

Women’s: 100m freestyle: 1. Missy Franklin 53.63, 2. Amanda Weir 54.14, 3. Dana Vollmer 54.27.

800m freestyle: 1. Gillian Ryan 8:27.64, 2. Haley Anderson 8:29.19, 3. Ashley Twichell 8:35.20.

200m breaststroke: 1. Micah Lawrence 2:27.06, 2. Haley Spencer 2:27.09, 3. Michelle McKeehan 2:27.57.—AFP