SYDNEY -- Japan's women's 400-meter medley relay team won bronze in a new national record time as the U.S. team smashed the world record in the event on the last day of the swimming competition at the Sydney Olympics on Saturday.

The team of Mai Nakamura, Masami Tanaka, Junko Onishi and Sumika Minamoto came home in 4:04.16 -- shaving more than a second and a half off the national record of 4:05.76 they set Friday night.

Nakamura, who won silver in the women's backstroke, led the field out over the first 50 meters but dropped back to fifth at the end of her second lap.