Vollmer Sets World Record in Butterfly; China's Ye, 16, Sets Swim Record; Phelps One Away from Tying Record

US' Dana Vollmer

(AP) – Dana Vollmer won a gold medal at the Olympics and set a world record, too. Not bad for someone who didn't even qualify four years ago. On a night featuring a relay duel between the Australians and the Americans, Vollmer got things started with a bang today in the 100-meter butterfly. She was third at the turn but powered to the wall for a time of 55.98 seconds, beating the record of 56.06 set by Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom in a since-banned high-tech bodysuit at the 2009 world championships.

In another race today, France upset favored Australia and the US to win the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. The Americans led all the way until Yannick Agnel pulled ahead of Ryan Lochte in the final lap. France clocked 3 minutes, 9.93 seconds, and the Americans settled for silver in 3:10.38, giving Michael Phelps a silver, leaving him one medal away from tying the Olympic record for most decorated Olympian.
Russia took bronze in 3:11.41. Pre-race favorite Australia was fourth. It was sweet revenge for the French, who lost a close race to the Americans in Beijing four years ago.

(AP) – China's Ye Shiwen set the first world record in the Olympic pool, winning the women's 400-meter individual medley with a dominant finishing kick last night. The 16-year-old Ye trailed American teenager Elizabeth Beisel more than halfway through the grueling race, but pulled away in the freestyle leg to win gold in 4 minutes, 28.43 seconds. She beat the 4:29.45 mark set by Stephanie Rice at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Beisel settled for silver with 4:31.27, while China's Li Xuanxu took the bronze in 4:32.91. Ye was the second Chinese swimmer to win gold on the opening night of swimming competition at the London Olympics. Sun Yang won the men's 400 freestyle.