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LONDON — They came in stunning, rapid-fire succession, and they were further evidence of America’s stronghold on international swimming.
When the first three finals were completed in last night’s second-to-last Olympic swimming session at the London Aquatics Center, there was smoke rising from the pool — and it was tinted red, white and blue.
First came the women’s 200-meter backstroke. Gold.
Missy Franklin, the 17-year-old wunderkind from Colorado with seven races on her Olympic plate, captured the women’s 200 backstroke in a blowout while setting a world record in 2:03.06. She became the first American to win the event since 1972.
Second was the men’s 100-meter butterfly. Gold.
Michael Phelps, who is retiring after these Games, rallied to win the men’s 100-meter butterfly in the final individual event of his career. It was his 21st medal and 17th gold, both Olympic records, as well as his third gold medal of these Games.
Next was the women’s 800-meter freestyle. Gold again.
Fifteen-year-old Katie Ledecky, the youngest member of the U.S. team, flirted with breaking the world record before winning in 8:14.63, about a half-second short of the record.
“It was awesome,’’ said America’s Elizabeth Beisel, who took bronze in the 200 backstroke. “This was a true testament to how good Team USA is.’’
Beisel marveled at Franklin’s accomplishments, calling them “insane.’’
“For how old she is — 17 years old in her first Olympics — and doing this with the amount of pressure the media has put on her, which is a lot, she is handling it really, really well,’’ Beisel said. “She’s awesome. She’s probably going to be the next Michael Phelps for the women.’’
Asked what it would take to beat Franklin, Beisel said, “Beat Missy? It’s apparently going to take a world record. Missy right now in backstroke is unbeatable.’’
Beisel credited Franklin for keeping the team loose.
“Her personality is contagious,’’ Beisel said. “In the ready room I was pretty nervous and watching her have so much fun really made me relax.’’
Before the race, Franklin talked to Beisel about how excited she is to eat McDonald’s again once her races are finished.
Afterwards, Franklin was babbling about high school like the exuberant teenager she is, saying, “I cannot wait for me senior year at Regis [Jesuit High]. I have so many fun things that I’m excited for — football games and making our senior overalls.’’
Ledecky credited the wins by Franklin and Phelps for “getting me pumped up’’ for her race.
“I just wanted to see how well I could do then to represent the U.S.,’’ she said. “Michael was the first Olympic swimmer I ever met — when I was 6, right before I started swimming — so just to hear a ‘good luck’ from him was really cool. It calmed me down and I was ready to swim my race.’’
Said Phelps: “I just said, ‘Have fun,’ and gave her a high-five. She went out there and laid it all on the line, won a gold medal and just missed a world record. That’s a pretty good first Olympic experience for a 15-year-old.’’
Ledecky obliterated the American record set by Janet Evans at 8:16.22 in Tokyo in 1989 — nearly eight years before Ledecky was born.
Phelps, who will wrap up his career with tonight’s men’s 4×100 medley relay, was ecstatic about winning his last individual event, particularly because he was in seventh place halfway through the race.
Phelps chased down South Africa’s Chad le Clos, who out-touched him in the 200-meter butterfly, and said, “I’m just happy that the last one was a win. That’s all I really wanted coming into the night.’’
Overshadowed by the three gold medals, Cullen Jones of Irvington, N.J., capped America’s huge night in the pool by taking silver in the men’s 50-meter freestyle.
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com