Missy Franklin after winning the gold medal in 100m backstroke, in Barcelona, on Tuesday

Barcelona: Lithuanian teenager Ruta Meilutyte won the 100 metres breaststroke gold at the World Championships, here, on Tuesday with a time just outside the world record she set in Monday’s qualifying.

The 16-year-old Olympic champion touched in a time of one minute 04.42 seconds, seven hundredths slower than Monday's blistering effort of 1:04.35.

Yuliya Efimova of Russia took silver in 1:05.02, matching her result from the 2009 championships in Rome, and American Jessica Hardy, who held the world record before Meilutyte, bronze in 1:05.52.

Ruta missed, but American teenager Katie Ledecky slashed six seconds off the world record to win gold in the women’s 1,500 metres freestyle.

The 16-year-old, who also took the 400 metres freestyle title on Sunday, touched in a time of 15 minutes 36.53 seconds to destroy the previous best of 15:42.54 set by compatriot Kate Ziegler in 2007.

Lotte Friis of Denmark led for much of the race at the hilltop Palau Sant Jordi, with Ledecky lurking on her shoulder, but could not match the American’s late burst and finished with silver in 15:38.88, also inside Ziegler’s mark.

Lauren Boyle of New Zealand was third in 15:44.71 ahead of Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia in 15:58.83.

“It was really tough, my hardest race ever,” Ledecky told reporters.

“I knew we were going pretty fast and I figured that whoever came out on top was probably going to get the world record. I had to be careful not to push it too early or push it too late and just touch the wall first.”

American Matt Grevers won gold in the men’s 100 metres backstroke. Grevers, the Olympic champion, touched in a time of 52.93 seconds, with compatriot David Plummer taking silver in 53.12 and France’s Jeremy Stravius bronze in 53.21.

Stravius tied for gold with compatriot Camille Lacourt at the last world championships in Shanghai two years ago and Lacourt finished fifth this time around behind Ryosuke Irie of Japan in fourth.

American Olympic champion Missy Franklin won her second gold of the meet with victory in the women’s 100 metres backstroke. The 18-year-old powered home in a time of 58.42 seconds at the Palau Sant Jordi following Sunday’s 4x100 metres freestyle relay triumph.

Australia's Emily Seebohm, second behind Franklin at the Olympics in London last year, was second in 59.06 seconds and Aya Terakawa of Japan took bronze in 59.23.

American Cesilie Carlton became the first high diving world champion when she claimed gold in a fearsome spectacle at the inaugural championships in Barcelona on Tuesday.

Launching herself into the void from a platform a mind-boggling 20 metres above the Catalan capital's harbour, Carlton amassed 211.60 points to top the six-strong field, with compatriot Ginger Huber taking silver on 206.70 and Anna Bader of Germany the bronze with 203.90.