Phelps, Hardy help US teams set short-course world records

Michael Phelps and Jessica Hardy helped the U.S. men's and women's teams set short-course world records in the 4x100-metre medley relays Friday at the Duel in the Pool.
In a day that featured five world records - all set by Americans - the U.S. leads the European team 89-33 at the Manchester Aquatics Center.
The American men clocked three minutes 20.71 seconds. Phelps swam the third leg and was joined by Nick Thoman, Mark Gangloff and Nathan Adrian. They broke the mark of 3:23.33 set by Canada in August. Thomas' backstroke leg set an individual world record of 48.94.
"We wanted to come here and try to keep the ball rolling and it's definitely a good start, that's for sure," said Phelps, who is making his first competitive appearance in England ahead of the London 2012 Olympics. "Everything's a stepping stone to 2012."
Hardy swam the second leg for the women, and teammates Margaret Hoelzer, Dana Volmer and Amanda Weir set the mark in 3:47.97. They broke the record of 3:49.45 set by Canada this fall.
American Julia Smit broke the 400 individual medley mark in 4:21.04, surpassing 4:22.88 set by Kathryn Meaklim of South Africa last month.
Shortly after, Rebecca Soni set a world mark in the 200-metre breaststroke. The Olympic champion touched in 2:14.57 to better the 2:15.42 set by Leisel Jones of Australia in November.
Soni was wearing one of the high-tech suits that will be outlawed on Jan. 1.
Phelps, a 14-time Olympic champion, reverted to wearing old-style, textile knee-length suits. Despite the slower suit, Phelps touched ahead of Benjamin Starke of Germany to win the 100 butterfly.
In the 100 freestyle, Phelps had to settle with a third-place finish. Teammate Nathan Adrian won the race, followed by Italy's Marco Orsi. Both were wearing the polyurethane performance-enhancing suits.
Hardy served a one-year ban after testing positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol before the Beijing Games. In May, the American Arbitration Association found the failed test was caused by a contaminated nutritional supplement and requested that Hardy not lose her eligibility for the 2012 London Olympics.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport set a March 12 date to determine her eligibility.
The Duel in the Pool meet ends today.