Michael Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly and helped the U.S. medley relay team break the world record, one of five the Americans set yesterday in taking a commanding lead at the Duel in the Pool in Manchester, England.

The Americans won 11 of the 14 events to lead the European team 89-33 at the halfway point of the short-course contest at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

"We wanted to come here and try to keep the ball rolling and it's definitely a good start," Phelps said. "Everything's a stepping stone to 2012."

While most of his competitors continued to swim in the high-tech suits that will be banned on Jan. 1, Phelps is competing in the old-style, textile knee-length outfits

Phelps swam the third leg for the 4x100 medley relay team that finished in 3 minutes, 20.71 seconds to break the mark of 3:23.33 Canada set in August. Nick Thomas' backstroke leg set an individual world record of 48.94.

The competition started with the U.S. women's team winning the medley relay in a world record of 3:47.97 as they bettered the 3:49.45 set by Canada in August.

American women set two other world records. Julia Smit won the 400 IM in 4:21.04, erasing the 4:22.88 Kathryn Meaklim of South Africa set last month, and Olympic champion Rebecca Soni's 2:14.57 in the 200 breaststroke bettered the 2:15.42 Leisel Jones of Australia swam in November.

GOLF

MARTIN GOES FOR TWO

Spain's Pablo Martin moved into position for his second straight victory, shooting a 4-under 68 yesterday for a two-stroke lead over Denmark's Anders Hansen after two rounds of the South African Open at Paarl, South Africa.

Martin, the 23-year-old former Oklahoma State star who won the Alfred Dunhill on Sunday, was at 11-under 133 after two rounds at Jack Nicklaus-designed Pearl Valley. Hansen shot a 69—135.

HOCKEY

BRODEUR HITS 1,030

Martin Brodeur broke Patrick Roy's record for regular-season appearances by a goaltender when he started his 1,030th game for the New Jersey Devils against the Ottawa Senators last night.

Roy, who played for Montreal and Colorado, appeared in 1,029 games in his 18-year career. Brodeur is in his 16th season, all with New Jersey.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Kelly Pavlik (35-1, 31 KOs) will defend his WBC and WBO middleweight championship titles tonight in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio against Miguel Espino (20-2-1, 9 KOs). ... American Bode Miller fought off a sore ankle to finish fifth in a World Cup super-G yesterday, as defending overall World Cup winner Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won yesterday's race at Val Gardena, Italy.