The last day of competition in Melbourne confirmed the American swimmers' domination who swept 20 of the 40 gold medals in offer during the eight-day event. 

The 21-year-old wunderkind Phelps was the shining star of the Championship as he bagged seven golds, breaking retired Australian star Ian Thorpe's record of six gold medals at a single World Championships.

Phelps won every event in which he graced the pool and beat all expectations by even improving his personal best in most events. made sure that he won every event he swam.

Becoming the first man to swim the 200 meters freestyle in under 1:44, he went on to break two more world records in the 200 meters butterfly chase and the 400 meters individual medley. He made it four by improving his own world record in the 200 meters individual medley.

The upcoming Beijing Olympics will be another chance for the star, and his own US team, to dominate even more.

In the eight-day competition, 14 world records fell across 13 events, with eleven of these going to US swimmers.
 
17-year-old Katie Hoff not only defended two titles in the women's individual medley, but also smashed the world record of the 400 meters medley.

22-year-old Ryan Lochte was twice Phelps' dauphin in the individual medley events, but also claimed his first individual world champion title in the 200 meters backstroke race, during which he defeated world champion and teammate Aaron Peirsol and beat the latter's world record.

Australia comforted their second-place in the medal table with nine golds, but were left trailing in the US' wake, making these championships far more one-sided than their predecessor in Montreal when Australia tallied 13 gold metals to the United States' 15.

However, the Australian women's swimmers still stood out, especially breaststroker Leisel Jones and freestyle sprinter Lisbeth Lenton.

Due to the Thorpedo's retirement and Grant Hackett slowing down, the Australian men's swimmers under-performed, grabbing their single gold in the 4x100 meters medley relay. Even this could be considered lucky since current world-record holders, the US, were disqualified in the heats for a foul.

Besides Phelps and the US-Australia dominance, many stars also shone brightly in the pool.

French beauty Laure Manaudou came away happily with two gold and two silver medals in individual events, having also improved the 200 meters freestyle world record.

17-year-old Park Tae Hwan notched up one gold and one bronze in long-distance freestyle competition. The Asian hopeful bravely represented South Korea, and proved to be the equal of Hackett and other great swimmers by challenging them down to the wire.

Japan's only gold came from Kosuke Kitajima in the men's200 meters breaststroke with world record holder Brendan Hansen out with a virus. However, Olympic champion Kitajima set up a climactic showdown in Beijing with Hansen, who only beat him by one stroke in the 100 meters.

Meanwhile, the other Japanese swimmers showed their skill by collecting two silvers and four bronzes.

The USA team finished first with 21 golds, 14 silvers and 5 bronzes ahead of host Australia (11-6-7) and Russia (9-7-10). China stood back in fourth place with 9 golds, 5 silvers and 2 bronzes.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2007)