STANFORD, Calif. — Missy Franklin won the 100-meter backstroke at the U.S. national championships Wednesday with the fifth-fastest time in the world this year.
The 16-year-old phenom touched in 59.18 seconds to win her first national title, two days after returning from the world championships in Shanghai.
Ryan Lochte, who won five golds in China, finished third in the men's 100.
"I did everything I could," he said. "I'm running on 'E' right now and my coach knows it."
Franklin won three gold medals and a bronze in Shanghai, including the 200 backstroke title.
"It feels absolutely amazing," she said, her youthful enthusiasm hardly dimmed by jet lag from the long flight and 15-hour time difference with Shanghai. "I'm so happy to be here."
Rachel Bootsma was second at 59.65, joining Franklin as the only two women under 1 minute.
Lochte was second at the turn before touching third behind Olympian Matt Grevers and Nick Thoman. Grevers, who didn't make the U.S. team for worlds, won in 53.14. Thoman, fourth in the 100 back in China, was second at 53.57.
Lochte finished at 53.79 in the event that will likely determine whether he's included in the 4x100 medley relay at next year's London Olympics. He didn't swim the relay in China and needs a solid time to put his name in the mix.
"Backstroke was all right for how tired I am," said Lochte, who announced he's taking the rest of the meet off.
He didn't make it out of the preliminaries in the 100 breaststroke on Tuesday.
In other events, Peter Vanderkaay won the 200 free; Allison Schmitt took the women's 200 free; and Bobby Bollier, swimming in his home pool at Stanford, won the 200 butterfly.