Australia's women closed out their Athens Olympic swimming campaign with a world record in the 4x100m medley relay.
Giaan Rooney, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas, and Jodie Henry won the gold in 3min 57.32sec, breaking the previous record of 3:58.30 set by the United States in September 2000 en route to Olympic gold in Sydney.
The United States had won the last three Olympic titles in the event, and had never been beaten by a team other than East Germany since it was added to the Olympic programme in 1960.
Natalie Coughlin, the 100m backstroke gold medallist and world record-holder put the United States in front on the opening leg, and they stayed there until Petria Thomas, the 100m fly gold medallist, overhauled veteran Jenny Thompson in the final 25m to give Jodie Henry a slight edge heading into the freestyle leg.
Henry, who broke the 100m freestyle world record in the semi-finals here en route to claiming the gold medal, brought home the victory.
Coughlin, Amanda Beard, Thompson and Kara Lynn Joyce took silver in 3:59.12 and Germany won the bronze in a European record of 4:00.72.
Filed by James Boylan
