China wins first gold while Lochte breaks world record

China won its first gold of the 11th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) at Sinan Erdem Arena on Friday by Lu Ying in the women's 50m butterfly while American star Ryan Lochte set the first world record in the men's 200m medley.

China got an 1-2 finish in the women's 50m fly. Lu, runner-up of the event at the London Games, came from behind to catch Denmark's world champion Jeanette Ottesen Gray and touched the wall first in 25.14 seconds. Jiao Liuyang, winner of the 200m fly at London, trailed in 25.23. Ottesen Gray settled for a bronze in 25.55.

"I'm not better than the others. Perhaps I was able to pay attention to some little details a bit more than them," said Lu, who played down her superiority.

The Day 3 also saw a new world record as Lochte won the 200m medley and broke his own world record. The world and Olympic champion finished in 1:49.63 to win a fourth consecutive gold medal at the Istanbul Worlds. He gave his gold medal to a fan.

The 28-year-old Lochte has already won the titles in the 200m freestyle, 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.

"If I took the medal it would end up in a sock drawer, if I give it to a fan they're going to treasure it. It will make their day or even their life," Lochte explained why he handed his 200m individual medley gold medal to a young fan.

Japan's Daiya Seto clocked 1:52.80 to add the silver medal to the gold he won in the 400m individual medley, and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary won bronze in 1:52.89.

Chinese teenager swimmer Hao Yun had almost won the men's 400m freestyle title but was caught by defending champion German Paul Biedermann in the last 50m.

Biedermann touched home in 3:39.15, while Hao took silver with 3:39.48. The bronze went to Denmark's Mads Glaesner, who finished in 3:40.09.

German claimed another gold Friday by Beijing Olympic champion Britta Steffen in the women's 100m free. Steffen was only sixth at halfway but managed to accelerate and touch first in 52.31, ahead of Megan Romano of the United States in 52.48 and Chinese Tang Yi in 52.73.

Hungary also won two gold medals Friday but with two championships records. Daniel Gyurta of Hungary won the men's 200m breaststroke with a new championships record of 2:01.35 while his teammate Katinka Husszu set a new championships record 58.59 in the women's 100m medley.

Lithuania's 15-year-old star Ruta Meilutyte won her second medal of the championships with silver in 58.79. China's Zhao Jing took bronze with 58.80.

In the men's 50m free, Vladimir Morozov held off the challenge of two Olympic champions to win Russia's first gold of the championships.

The Russian edged London Olympic champion Florent Manaudou of France and Sydney Olympic champion Anthony Ervin of the United States to win in 20.55, while Manaudou won the silver in 20.88 and Ervin bronze in 20.99.

In the women's 400m freestyle, Melanie Costa Schmid of Spain powered to the wall in the final few meters to snatch gold ahead of Chloe Sutton of the United States.

Schmid finished in 4:01.18, while Sutton took silver in 4:01.20. Race leader Lauren Boyle from New Zealand hung on for the bronze medal and her second medal of the championships with 4:01.24.

The women's 200m backstroke title went to Daryna Zevina from Ukraine in 2:02.24, while the women's 4x100m freestyle relay title was claimed by Denmark in 3:49.87.

The Danes led all the way and held off fast-finishing Australia, who won silver in 3:50.88, with the USA bagging bronze in 3:51.43.