Franklin finishes Winter Nationals with third title

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Olympian Missy Franklin won the 200-yard backstroke for her third title and Kevin Cordes set an American record in winning the 200 breaststroke at the Winter Nationals on Saturday night.

Franklin, who finished second and third in her other races at the three-day meet, was timed in 1 minute, 49.18 seconds, just off the American record of 1:49.16 set by Elizabeth Pelton last year. Bonnie Brandon finished second in 1:51.49 and Kylie Stewart took third.

Cordes flirted with the American record in the morning preliminaries, and then blew it away by going 1:50.73 in the final. Olympian Clark Burckle took second in 1:51.20 and Mike Alexandrov, the former record holder, was third in 1:52.24.

Cordes set an American record in winning the 100 breast on Friday night, when he also beat the same two swimmers in the last major U.S. swim meet of the year at the University of Texas.

Olympian Katie Ledecky won the 1,650 freestyle in 15:28.36, the second-fastest time ever. Haley Anderson was second in 15:55.91 and Lindsay Vroom finished third.

In the 100 free, Margo Geer won her first national title in 47.16 seconds. Franklin, who was swimming about 12 minutes after winning the 200 back, was second in 47.60. Olivia Smoliga was third.

Olympian Matt Grevers won his second title in two days, taking the 100 free in 41.71. Joao De Lucca touched second in 42.05 and Olympian Ricky Berens was third.

Franklin won the meet's high point award for women, while Grevers and Ryan Murphy tied for the men's award. Grevers won the performance award for his American-record time in the 100 backstroke Friday.