BARCELONA, Spain, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Missy Franklin followed the gold medal she was in the women's 100 meter backstroke in London a year ago with another triumph in the event in the World Championships, currently being held in Barcelona on Tuesday.

As in London, the 18-year-old American beat Australia's Emily Seebohn into the silver medal position, while Japan's Aya Terakawa finished third to ensure that the podium in Barcelona was an exact repeat of that in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Franklin, who already has a gold medal from the women's 4x100 meter relay, led the entire race and clocked a time of 58.42, ahead of Seebohn's 59.06 and Terakawa's 59.23.

The triumph means Franklin is the first woman to ever win Olympic gold and then follow it up with a World Championship gold in this event.