Coughlin improves on her U.S. record

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Natalie Coughlin lowered her own 4-year-old American record in the 200-yard freestyle, and Michael Phelps won his 400 individual medley specialty but lost to Brendan Hansen in the 200 breaststroke at the Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming on Sunday night.

Coughlin won in 1 minute, 41.66 seconds – 99 hundredths of a second faster than the time she swam in 2002 as a junior at California.

“The last 25 (yards) I could hear the crowd,” Coughlin said. “The pool is so small, the noise echoes and I can feel the energy.”