MANCHESTER, England — The Netherlands has set a world record in the women’s 800 freestyle relay at the short-course swimming world championships.

The Dutch team of Inge Dekker, Fernke Heemskerk, Marleen Veldhuis and Ranomi Kromowidjojo finished in 7 minutes, 38.90 seconds Wednesday.

China had set the previous mark of 7:46.30 at the 2002 short-course worlds in Moscow.

The next three finishers — Britain, Australia and the United States — were also ahead of the old mark. Britain finished in 7:38.96, while Australia finished in 7:39.01 and the United States finished in 7:45.58. China was fifth in 7:57.93.

The United States set a world record in the men’s 400 freestyle relay.

The American team of Ryan Lochte, Bryan Lundquist, Nathan Adrian and Doug Van Wie finished in 3 minutes, 8.44 seconds Wednesday.

Sweden had set the previous mark of 3:09.57 in 2000.

The Netherlands finished second in 3:09.18 — also ahead of the previous mark — and Sweden was third in 3:10.04.

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe set a world record in the 400-meter individual medley. Coventry finished in 4 minutes, 26.52 seconds.

Yana Klochkova of Ukraine set the previous world mark of 4:27.83 in 2002. Hannah Miley of Britain finished second in 4:27.27 and Mireia Belmonte of Spain took bronze in 4:27.55 — both also ahead of Klochkova’s old mark.

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Coventry won the 200 backstroke, finished second in the 100 back and third in the 200 individual medley.