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Allison Schmitt anchors U.S. to gold

LONDON -- Allison Schmitt dealt more heartache to the team from Down Under.

Schmitt chased down Australia's Alicia Coutts to give the Americans gold in the 4x200 freestyle relay Wednesday at the London Olympics.

Schmitt dived in the water about a half-second behind, but passed Coutts on their first return lap and won going away in 7 minutes, 42.92 seconds.. The Australians settled for silver in 7:44.41, while France took the bronze.

Schmitt is turning into one of the biggest American stars of the games, picking up her second gold to go along with a silver and a bronze.

Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin also picked up her second gold swimming the leadoff leg, and Dana Vollmer claimed her second gold in London. Shannon Vreeland rounded out the gold medal-winning quartet.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.