Lenton too good for world champion Henry

MELBOURNE, Mar 18 (Reuters) Libby Lenton confirmed her reputation as the fastest woman in the pool, beating world and Olympic champion Jodie Henry at the Commonwealth Games.

Henry has dominated women's swimming for the past four years but Lenton proved she was the undisputed number one by winning the 100 metres final today.

Lenton stormed home in 53.54 seconds, 0.12 outside the world record she set at last month's Australian trials.

Henry was second in 53.78 with Alice Mills third in 54.31 as the home trio swept the medals.

''It's my first individual medal in the event so I'm just so excited,'' Lenton told reporters.

''It was about focusing on myself and what I was able to do.

It was always going to be tough, especially the way Jodie comes home, but I'm over the moon.'' Although the three women are the best of friends and compete together in the relay, it was a sweet victory for Lenton, who had never won a 100m title at a major international event.

WORLD STAGE She burst on to the world stage by winning bronze in the 50m at the 2003 world championships in Barcelona and then broke Inge de Bruijn's 100m world record in the semi-finals of the 2004 Australian Olympic trials.

Her seemingly inevitable rise to the top was halted by Henry, who won the Commonwealth title in 2002 before reaching her peak two years ago.

Henry beat Lenton to win the national title and then went on to break her world record at the Athens Olympics, where she won three golds to become the new pin-up of Australian swimming.

Lenton failed to make the Olympic final and had to make do with a relay gold and a bronze in the 50m.

Things did not get any better for Lenton last year. She did not compete in the 100m at the world championships after finishing third behind Henry and Mills at the trials with each country only allowed to enter two swimmers.

Henry added the world title to her Olympic crown but Lenton won the 50m and picked up another two relay golds.

Lenton regained her world record from Henry seven weeks ago and followed up by winning the Commonwealth title with the third fastest time in history.

REUTERS DH RN1949