Franklin takes first gold as USA win women's 4x100 freestyle

BARCELONA, Catalonia, (AFP) - Missy Franklin captured her first gold of what she hopes will be an eight-title haul at the world swimming championships when she led the United States to victory in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.

Led off by the 18year-old, the USA won in a time of 3min 32.31sec.

Australia finished second at 3min 32.43sec -- just 0.12 behind -- while the Netherlands finished back at 3min

Missy Franklin captured her first gold of what she hopes will be an eight-title haul at the world swimming championships

35.77sec. It was Megan Romano, swimming the final freestyle leg, who managed to hold off Australia's Alicia Coutts to give the USA women their second gold of the night after Katie Ledecky's win in the 400m freestyle.

Victory comes exactly a decade after the USA women's relay squad last won world gold in this event -also in Barcelona at the 2003 championships. Natalie Coughlin, 30, who swam the second leg on Sunday, is the only member of the 2003 squad who tasted relay victory a decade later.

US team pose for a photo with their gold medals at the women's 4x100m freestyle victory ceremony during the World Swimming Championships at the Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona July 28, 2013. From left Megan Romano, Shannon Vreeland, Natalie Coughlin and...