The Franklin U.S. breaks the record of 200 back

Melissa Franklin American teenager, barely 16 years, on Saturday broke the world record of 200 meters backstroke in short course, after covering the distance in 2 minutes, 00 seconds and 03 hundredths, in the Berlin test Cup World.

The young swimmer Pasadena (California) improved the previous record holder, which was held by Japan's Shiho Sakai (2:00.18), who had also achieved in the German capital, where the November 14, 2009.

"This is a great joy, it gives me great energy," said Franklin, who won three golds in July, the Shanghai World in the 200 meter backstroke and as part of the U.S. team in 4x200-meter relays and 4x100 freestyle medley ..

The second in Berlin on Saturday was Australia's Belinda Hocking (2:01.24), while third place went to Britain's Elizabeth Simmonds (2:02.54).

For its part, the American star Michael Phelps, who competed in Berlin after starting their season on Tuesday in Moscow, won the 400 individual medley (4:01.49, best result this year), which had swum only once since the Olympic title 2008 (in the Pan Pacific, 2010).

"I'm happy because it was my first race at this distance from long ago, so very well," said U.S. champion, and that erased the disappointment of Tuesday, when he was defeated in the 200 meter freestyle in Moscow, before the German Paul Biedermann.

Phelps believes that we are "in better shape than in 2008," year that won eight titles at the Games in Beijing. In Berlin also took victory in the 100 individual medley (52.65).

In the other tests of day short course in Germany, the local hero Paul Biedermann, who holds world records in swimming short and long in the 200 and 400 freestyle, won the final of the 400 free (3:41.19).