USA Swimming reports: Dagny Knutson (Minot, N.D.) broke the American Record in the 400y IM Friday at the 2008 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming Short Course Nationals Championships. Knutson set the record by four one-hundredths of a second with a time of 4:00.62. She finished the night with two wins, also setting the Championship record in the 200y free with a time of 1:42.83.

 Video footage from Short Course Nationals will be available for viewing on-demand at www.swimnetwork.com.

 Knuston, a 16-year-old swimming for the Minot YMCA, has won a total of three events at Short Course Nationals thus far, setting one American and two Championship records along the way.

 “It hasn’t hit me yet,” Knuston said after she broke the American record. “I’m kind of in shock. I was going for a personal best time and I was pretty confident that I would beat that time this morning but I didn’t expect to go this fast.”

Knuston’s time in the 400y IM beat her former personal best time by just under seven seconds. Knuston was followed by Ava Ohlgren (Northville, Mich.) of Auburn, who finished second in 4:06.80. Kirstie Chen of La Mirada Armada was third in 4:12.21. Knutson captured her second win of the night in the 200y free with a Championship-record time of 1:42.83. Mary DeScenza (Naperville, Ill.) was second in 1:43.93, a personal best for the swimmer, and Samantha Tucker (Austin, Texas) placed third in 1:44.54.

Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) and Mary DeScenza also had a strong night Friday, taking home two wins each. Lochte won the men’s 200y free and 100y back, while DeScenza placed first in the 100y fly and 100y back.

Lochte won the 200y free in 1:32.40. He was followed by Matt Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) who finished second in 1:34.98 and Charlie Houchin (Raleigh, N.C.), who placed third in 1:35.23. In the 100y back, Lochte, who is the current American-record holder in the event, placed first in 45.37. He was in third after the first 50 yards but overcame fellow 2008 Olympian Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) for the win. Grevers claimed second in 45.48 and Ben Hesen (Jeffersonville, Ind.) was third in 45.99.

DeScenza won the 100y fly with a time of 51.78. Lindsey Marchand (Gig Harbor, Wash.) took second in 52.30 and Rachel Komisarz (Louisville, Ky.) was third in 52.51. In the 100y back, DeScenza won in 52.49, just nine one-hundredths off her personal best time. Ariana Kukors (Auburn, Wash.) was second in 53.03, and Margo McCawley (Memphis, Tenn.) was third in 53.29.

In other races, Japan’s Sano Hidemasa won the men’s 400m IM with a time of 3:39.97. Tyler Clary (Riverside, Calif.) finished second in 3:40.96 and Nick D’Innocenzo (Andover, Mass.) placed third in 3:43.36. In the men’s 100m fly, Japan’s Masayuki Kishida (Tucson, Ariz.) set the championship record to claim the top spot in 45.20. Grevers was second in 45.47 and Kyle Bubolz (Waukesha, Wis.) was third in 45.61.  In the women’s 100m breast, Corrie Clark (Malvern, Pa.) placed first with a time of 59.82. Kukors earned her second silver medal of the night, placing second in 59.98, and Elizabeth Tinnon (Bowling Green, Ky.) was third in 1:00.35. In the men’s 100m breast, Mike Alexandrov (Evanston, Ill.) won the event in 51.82, Mark Gangloff (Stow, Ohio) was second in 52.13, and Eric Shanteau (Lilburn, Ga.) was third in 53.07.

The 2008 Short Course National Championships conclude Saturday, December 6, at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. Tomorrow’s events include prelims and finals in the men’s and women’s 1650y free, 200y back, 100y free, 200y breast, 200y fly, and the 400y free relay. Prelims commence at 9:30 a.m. and finals begin at 6 p.m.