Missy Franklin, 15, continued her journey to bigger things with two victories at the Austin Grand Prix in Texas. First up a 25.50 in the freestyle dash, then, a matter of minutes later a 59.75sec that took her below the minute over 100m backstroke for the first time. "I'm so excited," Franklin told reporters. "I did not think I was going to go under a minute at all." 

Multi-talented Franklin, 6ft, has yet to settle on a schedule to test in international championship waters, when she will face a specialist threat on every side, at every turn. Ahead of her in Texas: 200 medley and backstroke and 100 free.

Coached by Todd Schmitz, Franklin has been tipped for superstardom since she was 12. In March at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce's conference on leadership, Franklin, her father Dick will appear with the coach to give a talk on her rise through the swim ranks.

Meanwhile, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte continued to train together, Phelps taking the 100m backstroke in 54.14 ahead of Nick Thoman 54.73), Lochte (54.95). "So far so good," Phelps told reporters. He had won the 100m 'fly on day one ahead of Lochte. All steps along the way to a return to medley battle on the big occasion some way down the line.

In the women's 400 freestyle Kate Ziegler and FAST teammate Katie Hoff traded strokes until Ziegler sped up over the last 100m to take the win in 4:08.28 to 4:09.51 for the world short-course champion.

Elsewhere, Elsewhere, the man who did much to keep Phelps' on target for a golden eight in Beijing, Jason Lezak, now 35, taking the freestyle dash  in 22.57; California-bound Eric Shanteau clocked 2:12.12 in the 200m breaststroke; Tyler Clary won the 200 butterfly in 1:59.37; Chip Peterson clocked 3:53.64 to win the 400m free; and Canadian Haylee Johnson won the 00m breaststroke in 2:31.40.