It seemed only fitting that the final event of the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships was not only another American win, but also the only world record of the meet. The 400m medley relay team of Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak lowered the world best with a 3:33.48 for the U.S.' 21st and final gold of the meet, the fifth gold of the night. The previous mark was set by the U.S. Olympic relay at 3:33.73. The Americans won all possible scoring categories - team points (476-366), overall medals and gold medals (21-11) for both men and women and combined. (Overall medal count not posted as of press time).

Peirsol got the U.S. relay off to a great start with a 54.17, just ahead of Australia's Matt Welsh (54.52). Hansen built on that lead with the third-fastest breaststroke split in history (1:00.14), followed by Phelps who swam the fastest fly split ever at 51.13. That gave Lezak an almost two second lead for his leg, with him securing the victory with a 48.04 split, holding off Ian Thorpe who swam a 47.20, the second-fastest split ever.

"It was a great end to an excellent meet," Peirsol said. "It was the best Pan Pac meet we've had in more than 10 years. Everyone did their part and more. Our relay decided we wanted to step it up and get that world record. We knew what we had to do and we were stoked. It was an excellent race."

"This was my first international relay and going out there with those three guys was more fun than I even thought it would be," Hansen said. "This is a great stepping stone to the 2004 Olympics. We'll try to ride this wave we created here."

The U.S. captured four individual golds leading up to the final relay. Natalie Coughlin won her third individual gold, fourth overall, with a shocking 53.99 to win the 100m free in American record time. She became the first American and just the second woman in history to break 54 seconds in the event, joining world record-holder Inge de Bruijn in the sub-54 category. Former American record-holder Jenny Thompson claimed bronze in 54.75, just behind Australia's Sarah Ryan (54.55). Diana Munz tied Coughlin for most gold medals with four as well this week. Coughlin led in overall medals with six, tying Ian Thorpe. Among the men, Phelps led the U.S. with five medals overall while he and Peirsol tied with three golds apiece.

"I didn't think I could much faster than I did in the semis," Couglin said, after her 100m free win. "Technically I swam much better tonight. I breathed every four strokes coming back. I was just hoping to do better than my Nationals time of 54.6, but I can't believe I did that much better."

Phelps won his second individual gold in taking the 200m individual medley in 1:59.70, a meet record. The only swimmer to break two minutes in the event, he took the lead from the first 50 and never looked back. Tom Wilkens captured bronze in 2:01.17.

"That (world) record is one of the hardest," Phelps said. "Jani had an unbelievable last 100 when he set that. It's going to take a little more work if I want to break that. I'll keep going after it."

Margaret Hoelzer made the most of her first major international meet, winning gold in the 200m back in 2:11.00, a more than second drop from her previous best. She finished well ahead of the field with Japan's Aya Terakawa earning silver in 2:12.28. Diana MacManus was fourth in 2:14.01.

"During that last 50, I was really glad I wasn't getting super tired," Hoelzer said. "I wanted to go out fast, but relaxed. I figured I'd be behind at the beginning and would need the energy to catch up and it worked out for me."

In the tightest race of the night, Ian Crocker held off Australia's Geoff Huegill to win the 100m fly in 52.45 to 52.48. Canada's Mike Mintenko touched in 52.69 for bronze. Mintenko set the early pace at 24.43, with Crocker turning in third place at 24.61, behind Australia's Adam Pine (24.55).

"I was expecting to be out faster than I was in the prelims and semis, and I was, but I didn't feel quite as relaxed," Crocker said. "I'm happy with the result but I would have liked to have gone faster."

Grant Hackett took the 1500m free in 14:41.65. Erik Vendt and Larsen Jensen earned silver and bronze in 15:02.24 and 15:05.17, respectively. The women's 400m medley relay fell just short of another U.S. gold medal, taking silver in 4:01.15 to Australia's 4:00.50, a meet record. Petria Thomas swam the fastest fly split in history with a 56.94. The U.S. team's splits were: Coughlin (1:00.09), Amanda Beard (1:07.76), Thompson (58.32) and Lindsay Benko (54.98).

"It's almost advantageous to take second in the last (women's) event," Thompson said. "It fuels the fire for the future."

That future will come next April when the U.S. faces off against Australia again in a unique head-to-head scenario at the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool on April 6 in Indianapolis.