updated 5:38 p.m. ET Aug. 19, 2004

ATHENS, Greece - Jodie Henry of Australia followed a world-record swim in the semifinals by winning an Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle Thursday night, holding off defending champion Inge de Bruijn and American Natalie Coughlin.

Henry finished strong and touched first in 53.84 seconds, just one day after setting that world record of 53.52 in the semis.

The 30-year-old de Bruijn, who won gold for the Netherlands four years ago, took silver this time in 54.16. Coughlin, of Concord, Calif., settled for bronze at 54.40.

Henry has emerged as one of the top female swimmers of the Athens Games. On Saturday, she passed American Jenny Thompson in the final leg of the 400 freestyle relay Saturday to give Australia the gold in world-record time. Henry swam her 100 split in 52.95.

FREE VIDEO Coughlin captures gold Aug. 17: U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin talks with "Today" host Matt Lauer about coming back from a major injury to win a gold medal. Today Show Olympics

Coughlin’s first Olympics also has been a medal bonanza. She picked up her fourth of these games, following golds in the 100 backstroke and 800 freestyle relay, in which she swam the leadoff leg on the way to breaking a 17-year-old world record. Coughlin also helped the 400 free relay team to a silver medal.

In addition, Coughlin will swim on the women’s 400 medley relay, giving her another strong chance for a medal.

Still, she failed to end the American drought in the women’s 100 free. The last U.S. swimmer to take gold in that event was Carrie Steinseifer at the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games.

The other American in the field, Kara Lynn Joyce of Ann Arbor, Mich., was fifth at 54.54.

Swimming - Women's 100-meter Freestyle (medals: Aug. 19th) Medal Athlete Country Result Gold Jodie Henry Australia 53.84 Silver Inge de Bruijn Netherlands 54.16 Bronze Natalie Coughlin United States 54.40 NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results

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