World Cup, Durban: Several National Records Tumble During First Night of Finals

Universal Sports Webcast Coverage of World Cup

DURBAN, South Africa, October 17. NATIONAL records from across the globe tumbled during the first night of finals at the Durban, South Africa stop of the FINA World Cup.

Women's 800 freestyle
South Africa swept the podium in the distance free event. African-record holder Kathryn Meaklim captured gold in a time of 8:42.50, while Melissa Corfe finished second in 8:48.58. Alison-Jayne Logan completed the top three in 8:54.39.

Men's 100 freestyle
South Africa did well again in the men's sprint event coming up with a 1-3 finish. Darian Townsend earned the top prize money with a 47.24, while Wesley Gilchrist placed third in 48.59.

World-record holder Stefan Nystrand of Sweden split the difference with a silver-medal time of 47.51.

Women's 200 freestyle
Sweden's Josefin Lillhage, her nation's record holder in the event, won in 1:55.91. New Zealand's Melissa Ingram set a national record with a second-place 1:56.52. That time cleared the 1:57.36 set by Alison Fitch in 2003.

Melissa Corfe completed the podium with a third-place time of 1:58.45.

Men's 50 breaststroke
South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh lowered his African record in the sprint breast with a time of 26.45. His performance eclipsed the 26.61 set in September. Australia's Christian Sprenger turned in a second-place time of 26.74, while Brazil's Felipe Lima placed third in 26.99.

Women's 100 breaststroke
Suzaan van Biljon led a South African sweep with a gold-winning time of 1:08.77. Courtnay Mower finished second in 1:09.61, while Jeanie Du Toit touched third in 1:10.85.

Men's 400 IM
Olympic gold medalist Ous Mellouli of Tunisia held off South Africa's Riaan Schoeman, 4:08.84 to 4:09.07, for gold in the distance medley. South Africa's Jay-Cee Thompson wound up third in 4:18.12.

Women's 100 butterfly
World Cup points leader Marieke Guehrer of Australia cruised in the 100 fly with a winning time of 57.03, while South Africa's Mandy Loots took second in 58.81. Chanelle Van Wyk placed third for South Africa in 1:00.18.

Men's 100 backstroke
Randall Bal led a U.S. 1-2 with a blistering time of 50.88. Peter Marshall ripped off a second-place time of 52.02, while South Africa's Garth Tune finished third in 53.04.

Women's 50 backstroke
Fabiola Molina downed her Brazilian record with a time of 27.39 in the sprint back. She cleared the 27.56 she'd set in 2007. Sophie Edington of Australia pocketed second in 27.69, while South Africa's Chanelle Van Wyk took third in 28.20.

Men's 200 butterfly
South Africa's Sebastien Rousseau broke the African record in the event with a time of 1:55.73 as he touched out Sweden's Simon Sjodin (1:55.74) by the slimmest of margins. George Du Rand set the previous record with a 1:56.03 in 2005. Du Rand, meanwhile, placed third in 1:56.94.

Women's 200 IM
South Africa went 1-2-3 again as Kathryn Meaklim topped the medley in 2:10.09. Jessica Pengelly touched second in 2:11.27, while Mandy Loots finished third in 2:12.05.

Men's 400 freestyle
Tunisia's Ous Mellouli won his second gold of the night with a time of 3:42.32. He crushed the competition as Jay-Cee Thompson of South Africa finished a distant second in 3:48.05. Riaan Schoeman of South Africa rounded out the podium in 3:48.62.

Women's 50 freestyle
2007 World Cup Champion Therese Alshammar of Sweden won the splash-and-dash going away with a 24.46. Australia's Marieke Guehrer placed second in 24.79, while Sweden's Josefin Lillhage earned bronze in 24.98.

Men's 200 breaststroke
Christian Sprenger of Australia garnered the top prize money in the event with a time of 2:06.07, while South Africa's William Diering cleared his African record in the event with a second-place 2:06.78. He bettered his previous standard of 2:06.85 set at the 2008 World Short Course Championships. Ukraine's Igor Borysik touched third in 2:09.01.

Men's 100 IM
Tunisia's Ous Mellouli just missed a title trifecta on the day as he placed second behind Darian Townsend of South Africa, 53.37 to 53.90. Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa finished third in 53.96.

Women's 200 backstroke
New Zealand's Melissa Ingram just missed her national record with a winning time of 2:04.98. She has a 2:04.70 to her credit from Short Course Worlds in April. South Africa's Melissa Corfe took second in 2:07.17, while Jessica Pengelly touched third in 2:09.60.

Men's 50 butterfly
South Africa swept the podium to end the day just how it began it. Neil Watson (23.81), Garth Tune (23.82) and George Du Rand (23.91) all captured prize money in the final event of the day.

Full Results

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