Chinese 15-year-old Ye Shiwen won the first swimming gold for the hosts at the 14th FINA World Championships as she claimed the women's 200m individual medley on Monday.

The promising star Ye, runner-up of the 200m and 400m medley at 2010 Dubai short-course world championships, fell behind in the first three laps, but excited the home crowd as she dashed out in the last 50m to lift the title in 2:08.90.

Aussie Alicia Coutts took the silver in 2:09.00, while defending champion Ariana Kukors of the United States finished third in 2:09.12.

Austrlia's Olympic champion Stephanie Rice only managed a fourth finish in 2:09.65.