INDIANAPOLIS — Aaron Peirsol lowered his own world record in the 200-meter backstroke Monday, then helped his American teammates set a world mark in the 400 medley relay on closing night of the Short Course World Championships.
Brooke Hanson of Australia won her record sixth gold medal, beating American Amanda Beard in the 200 breaststroke.
The United States won five of 12 finals Monday night, giving the Americans 21 victories in 40 events and 41 medals overall. Australia was the only other country with a double-digit medal total. The Aussies earned 29, including seven gold.
Peirsol's time of 1 minute, 50.52 seconds in the backstroke bettered his mark of 1:50.64 set in March at a short course World Cup meet in East Meadow, N.Y. He also won the 100 back.
"I had a pretty good inclination that I could do something like that," said Peirsol, who swept the backstroke events at the Athens Olympics six weeks ago. "It's so easy when the crowd is behind you."
The team of Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker and Jason Lezak won the relay by more than 5 seconds over Australia in 3:25.09, bettering the mark of 3:25.38 set by the University of Texas at the World Cup meet in March. The Aussies finished in 3:29.72. Russia was third.
"Every time we get together some magic happens," said Lezak, who began the evening with a victory in the 100 freestyle.
Peirsol led off and Hansen put them under world-record pace on the breaststroke leg. They fell slightly off record pace during Crocker's fly before Lezak brought it home in record time on the freestyle anchor leg.
"Those guys got me going," Peirsol said. "It's just amazing. I'm real tired."
Four world records were set during the five-day meet held in a 25-meter temporary pool at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Hanson broke the gold-medal mark she shared with China's Le Jingyi (1993) and American Neil Walker (2000). She won the 200 breaststroke in 2:21.68, ahead of Beard in 2:22.53.
"I've been telling my dad all day how bad I was feeling. This 26-year-old body couldn't hold up anymore," she said. "I don't think it's sunk in and I'm not sure it will."
Hanson's other victories were in the 50 breaststroke, 100 and 200 individual medleys, 100 breaststroke, and she was part of Australia's world-record 400 medley relay team.
American Jenny Thompson earned bronze in the 100 butterfly, then came back 25 minutes later to finish seventh in the 50 free in the final race of her career. She lingered in lane eight as the other swimmers made their way past her offering congratulations.
"It would have been too cliche to end with a gold medal," she said. "This is a great time for me to stop."
Thompson won the 50 fly, swam on the winning 400 free relay team and was part of the second-place 400 medley relay team at the meet. The 31-year-old owns 83 medals from international competition, making her the most decorated swimmer. She is due back at Columbia University's medical school on Tuesday.
Peirsol was under world-record pace by a half-second after 50 meters. He touched the wall, then wagged his right index finger in the air, signaling number one, and leaned on the lane marker as fans chanted, "USA! USA!"
"To come here and swim in this atmosphere brings out the best in all of us," he said.
Matthew Welsh of Australia finished second in 1:52.54 and Arkady Vyatchanin of Russia was third in 1:54.20.
James Hickman of Britain won the 200 fly for the fifth straight time. His streak began in 1997 and ended at this meet because he plans to retire in December. Hickman was timed in 1:53.41. He checked the scoreboard, pumped his right fist and stuck out five fingers to signal his feat.
"It's easy to win the first one because you're the hunter and you're going out to kill the prey," he said. "But when you're the one being hunted by all those boogers behind you, it's hard. I feel like I'm on clouds right now."
The United States started the night strongly, winning the first three events.
Lezak won the 100 free in 47.97; Haley Cope won the 50 backstroke in 27.49; and Peirsol had the crowd of 7,422 cheering for his backstroke victory. Hansen added the 50 breaststroke title to his earlier win in the 200 breaststroke. Hansen won four golds overall.
Peter Mankoc of Slovenia won the 100 IM in a meet record of 52.66. Martina Moravcova of Slovakia was the 100 fly champion in 57.38, defeating Americans Rachel Komisarz and Thompson.
Marleen Veldhuis won the 50 free, ahead of Lisbeth Lenton of Australia and world record-holder Therese Alshammar of Sweden. Yuri Prilukov of Russia won the 1,500 free. Josefin Lillhage of Sweden defeated world record-holder Lindsay Benko to win the 200 free. Dana Vollmer, a 16-year-old U.S. Olympian, was third.
The total attendance of 71,659 was the largest in the 10-year history of the short course championships.