United States’ Missy Franklin competes in the women’s 200-meter backstroke swimming semifinal ... more >LONDON — American teenager Missy Franklin set a world record in the 200 backstroke Friday for her third gold and fourth medal overall at the London Olympics.
Franklin clocked 2 minutes, 4.06 seconds, 0.75 quicker than the mark set by Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe at the 2009 world championships in Rome in a now-banned bodysuit.
"I can't believe what just happened," said Franklin, who had dedicated her Olympics to victims of the theater shooting not far from her Colorado home. "In that last 25, I knew I was giving it everything I had because I couldn't feel my arms and legs and I was just trying to get my hand to the wall as fast I could."
It was the seventh world record of the games.
Anastasia Zueva of Russia touched in 2:05.92 to take the silver medal and Elizabeth Beisel of the United States finished in 2:06.55 to take bronze.
"I could never dream for it to happen like that," said Franklin, who also has a bronze in her first Olympics and one more race to go in the 4x100 medley relay.
By Andrew P. Napolitano
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