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November 19, 2005
10:49 AM GMT : Thank you and Good Night!
The 50 fly brings the session to a close. Join us tomorrow for more action from the world cup.
10:45 AM GMT : Almeida stuns everyone
Kaio Almeida scooped a bit of a shock by taking out the 50 fly in 22.92, well clear of Geoff Huegill in 23.56 and Josh Taylor in 23.58. Thomas Rupprath faded badly in the second half to come home 5th.
10:43 AM GMT : Men's 50m Butterfly
The final event of the programme sees Geoff Huegill back in compeitive action after taking 2005 off this far. He gets a stirring reception, but the favourite remains Thomas Rupprath.
10:40 AM GMT : Women's 200 back
Margaret Hoelzer held off a determined late charge from Tay Zimmer to win the 200m backstroke in 2:06.78, just 0.19 ahead of her Australian rival. Kirsty Covernty, the world long course champion was third in 2:09.18
10:32 AM GMT : Double up for Neethling
Ryk Neethling swam the third fastest 100IM all time as he took his second win of the evening in 51.81, 0.29 outside his own global mark and well clear of runner up Thomas Rupprath who recorded 53.69. Adam Lucas continued a good evening for him with third and an Australian record.
"My turns were not good" Neethling said poolside " I backed off on the second half of the freestyle and I was going for this record. Maybe next week."
10:29 AM GMT : Nathalie Coughlin
Nathalie Coughlin competes in the 100m Butterfly
Picture: Dan Mitchell/pullbuoy
10:26 AM GMT : Paton takes out 800
Sarah Paton took out the 800 free from comeback queen Elka Graham,posting 8:26.60. Melissa Gorman was third.
10:23 AM GMT : Women's 50 back
The start of the women's 50m backstroke
Picture: Dan Mitchell/pullbuoy
10:14 AM GMT : Women's 800 free
The fastest heat of the event gets underway with Elka Graham the favourite, along with Athens Olympian Sarah Paton.
10:08 AM GMT : Men's 200m breastroke
The first race down under with the new butterfly kick rule in force. Jim Piper leads all the way and wins in a modest (for him) 2:07.78 from compatriots Christian Sprenger and Brenton Rickard.
10:02 AM GMT : Lenton on fire
Libby backed up from her earlier perfomacne to set a Commonwealth Record in the 50m free of 23.85, holding off Marleen Veldhuis and world record holder Therese Alshammer who took the podium places.
"I was just hoping to go a PB as I haven't done one for a couple of years now" says Lenton "To come up with that is just amazing"
09:59 AM GMT : anticipation builds for 50 free
A stellar field lines up for the 50m freestyle. Libby Lenton is backing up from her WR perfromance in the 200.
09:55 AM GMT : Park hangs tough for win
The Korean decimated the field through the second half, touching in 3:43.25 and over three seconds clear of second placed Adam Lucas, who swam a PR of 3:36.36. Robert Margalis of the USA, backing up from the 400IM, took third.
09:51 AM GMT : Men's 400 free
The men's 400 free gets underway with 16 year old Korean Tae-Hwan Park taking the field through the 200m in 1:51.61.
09:46 AM GMT : Commonwealth Record?
The girls faded over the second half, but Kirsty Coventry took the win in 2:09.72 under the Commonwealth record, but controversy reigns as to whether she can claim it with Zimbabwe currently suspended. Mills was second in 2:09.86 with teammate Lara Carroll third.
09:43 AM GMT : 200IM for women
Alice Mills is under WR pace at the halfway stage in the 200IM, just ahead of Kirsty Coventry
09:43 AM GMT : men's 400IM
The competitors get underway in the men's 400IM.
Photo: Dan Mitchell/pullbuoy
09:39 AM GMT : Almeida hangs on
The Brazilian held off a late charge from Nikolay Skvortsov and Andrew Richards to hang on for the win in 1:53.87.
09:37 AM GMT : Men's 200 fly
2 young Chinese swimmers in this final - perhaps names to look out for in 2008 - Chen Yin in lane 1 and Li Dingjie in Lane 8. Meanwhile Kaio Almeida leads them through 150m.
09:32 AM GMT : Australian record for Zimmer
Tay Zimmer broke her own Australian record to take out the 50m backstroke in 27.47, holding off world Long Course Champion Giaan Rooney in the process. World long course record holder Janine Pietsch was third.
09:30 AM GMT : Men's 100m backstoke
American Peter Marshall leads all the way to win the 100m backstoke from compatriot Randall Bal. Marshall clocks 51.37. Germany's Thomas Rupprath is third.
09:28 AM GMT : Coughlin victorious
Nathalie Coughlin holds off Australian Duo Felicity Galvez and Jess Schipper to win the 100m butterfly in 57.39. She then calls the event the "fastest world cup meet I've ever been to"
09:26 AM GMT : Lesiel Jones
Lesiel Jones on her way to a win in the 100m breaststroke
Photo: Dan Mitchell/pullbuoy
09:18 AM GMT : Libby Lenton
Libby Lenton can't believe her world record.
Photo: Dan Mitchell/pullbuoy
09:13 AM GMT : Kent takes out 400IM
Dean Kent of New Zealand holds off Italian Luca Marin to take out the 400IM in 4:08.00. Robert Margalis of the US was third with Aussie Adam Lucas just 0.07 behind him in 4th.
09:06 AM GMT : Phew!
A chance to catch our breath as the competitors get ready for the men's 400IM.
09:00 AM GMT : near miss for Leisel
Leisel Jones posts the 2nd fastest time ever for 100m breaststroke to take the win. Jade Edmistone took it out hard on the opening 50 but Jones took her on the third length to come home in 1:04.84 a Commonwealth Record and just 0.05 outside the world record.
08:56 AM GMT : Men's 50 breaststroke
Australian Brenton Rickard wins the 50m Breaststroke in 27.34 from countrymen Christian Sprenger and Mark Riley.
08:55 AM GMT : Libby Lenton
"My coach told me go out hard in around a 54 which I managed, and he just said I paced it really well! I was hoping for a pretty substantial PB tonight and although the world record was in the back of my mind I didn't really think I'd get it."
08:46 AM GMT : WORLD RECORD - Libby Lenton
with 1:53.29 - 0.74 under the old mark from Lindsay Benko - Libby Lenton sets a new world record for the 200m freestyle, with Aussie newcomer Kelly Stubbins second in a PR 1:56.06
08:44 AM GMT : Women's 200m freestyle
Libby Lenton takes off fast at the start of the 200m freestyle, 1.46 seconds under the world record pace at the 50.
08:40 AM GMT : Neethling takes opening win.
Ryk Neethling takes the opening title on the first night of finals, winning the 100m freestyle. The South African led all the way from the gun to take the touch 0.64 ahead of runner up Ashley Callus in 47.04, just outside his own Australian all comers record. Brett Hawke was third in 48.09 while Michael Klim looked off the pace throughout and came home 5th in 48.89.
08:26 AM GMT : meet now open
The President of NSW Swimming has just officially opened the meet and we're now ready for the first event - the men's 100m freestyle.
08:02 AM GMT : atmosphere builds at SOPAC
The final warm ups are underway at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre and the atmosphere is building. A capacity crowd is expected for the first night of finals here despite the absence of Ian Thorpe who withdrew after this morning's heats. The Thorpedo has been ill in the preceding week to this meet and having swum a fast time this morning professed himself happy with his competitive comeback, preferring to rest this evening rather than getting back in the pool.
06:14 AM GMT : Women's 50m free set for fireworks
The women's 50m freetsyle final has a mouthwatering look to it. Marleen Veldhuis was the fastest qualifer in 24.47, the only swimmer under 25 seconds, but around her are Therese Alshammer, Libby Lenton, Alice Mills and Jodie Henry, all within 0.35 seconds of each other after the heats.
Lenton is also the fastest qualifer for the 200m freestyle where she takes on Federica Pellegrini.
05:54 AM GMT : Baker another withdrawal
Former British swimmer Zoe Baker was eighth fastest in the heats of the 100m breastroke in a time of 1:11.02 but withdrew from the evening's finals. Liesel Jones headed the qualifiers in 1:07.53, over a second ahead of compatriot Sarah Katsoulis. Britain's Lorna Tonks, now resident in Queensland, was the 4th fastest qualifer in 1:09.34.
05:41 AM GMT : Thorpe pulls out
The big news from this morning's heats was the form of Ian Thorpe. The Australian swimmer posted a speedy 47.86 in his heat of the 100m freestyle to finish as the fastest swimmer, then promptly withdrew from tonight's finals. That leaves Ryk Neethling as the top seed in 48.06, with Ashley Callus and Michael Klim following close behind.