Mellouli finds form, Schoeman pips Cameron

Tunisia's Ousamma Mellouli finally found form again on Saturday with two titles at the Singapore leg of the shortcourse World Cup, but a slew of expected world records failed to materialise.

Sixteen new world marks were set in Berlin last weekend with the vast majority achieved by athletes wearing the high-tech swimsuits that will be banned from January 1.

Singapore is one of the last times the controversial suits are being worn and more fireworks were widely tipped, but no one stepped up.

Mellouli, the longcourse 1 500m freestyle world record holder, was the standout performer, timing his charge perfectly to win the men's 400m individual medley in 4:05.79 ahead of Japan's Tomohisa Honzaki (4:06.96).

Jay-Cee Thomson of South Africa was third.

The Tunisian, whose form had deserted him over the previous World Cup meets, returned to take the 400m freestyle crown, touching in 3:38.18, ahead of Australia's Robert Hurley with South Africa's Thomson again third.

While world records proved elusive, two new World Cup best times were set with Australia's Matthew Abood clocking 45.46 in the men's 100m freestyle.

And Swedish swim queen Therese Alshammar, who has dominated the 50m freestyle this season, set a new World Cup time of 23.27 in the event here.

Breaststroke specialist Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa, who achieved new world records over 50m and 100m in Berlin, was upset over the shorter distance by his compatriot Roland Schoeman.

Schoeman hit the blocks in 25.58, marginally ahead of Van der Burgh in 25.76 with Brazil's Felipe Da Silva taking third.

Schoeman looked set for another gold medal in the 50m butterfly but a sizzling last 15m from Brazil's Nick Dos Santos saw him pipped at the post.

Fellow South African Darian Townsend, who beat Michael Phelps in the 200m individual medley last weekend in a new world record time, won the 100m medley, while Japan's Kazuya Kaneda took out the 200m butterfly crown.

Among the women, Australia's Sarah Katsollis scored an upset win in the 100m breaststroke, beating America's Jessica Hardy into second and world record holder Liesel Jones into third.

Australia's Blair Evans took out the 800m freestyle title while Sweden's Petra Grandlund was best over 200m.

American Whitney Myers won the 200m individual medley.

The action continues on Sunday when the overall World Cup champions will be crowned after a season that has included meetings in Durban, Moscow, Stockholm, Berlin, and Singapore.

Results

Men
100 meters freestyle
1. Matthew Abood (AUS) 45.46 seconds
2. Darian Townsend (RSA) 46.63
3. Mitchell Patterson (AUS) 46.91

50m breaststroke
1. Roland Schoeman (RSA) 25.88
2. Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) 25.76
3. Felipe Da Silva (BRA) 25.88

400m individual medley
1. Ousamma Mellouli (TUN) 4:05.79
2. Tomohisa Honzaki (JPN) 4:06.96
3. Jay-Cee Thomson (RSA) 4:06.97

100m backstroke
1. Guilherme Guido (BRA) 49.63
2. Peter Marshall (USA) 49.67
3. Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS) 50.09

200m butterfly
1. Kazuya Kaneda (JPN) 1:51.54
2. Nick D'Arcy (AUS) 1:51.99
3. Lachlan Staples (AUS) 1:54.70

400m freestyle
1. Ousamma Mellouli (TUN) 3:38.18
2. Robert Hurley (AUS) 3:39.42
3. Jay-Cee Thomson (RSA) 3:41.09

200m breaststroke
1. Christian Sprenger (AUS) 2:02.65
2. Neil Versfeld (RSA) 2:02.68
3. Yuta Suenaga (JPN) 2:04.43

100m individual medley
1. Darian Townsend (RSA) 52.11
2. Daniel Arnamnart (AUS) 54.17
3. Leith Brodie (AUS) 54.35

50m butterfly
1. Nick Dos Santos (BRA) 22.16
2. Roland Schoeman (RSA) 22.27
3. Geoff Huegill (AUS) 22.50

Women

800m freestyle
1. Blair Evans (AUS) 8:17.21
2=. Kathryn Meaklin (RSA) 8:25.47
2=. Stephanie Au Hoi Shun (HKG) 8:25.47

200m freestyle
1. Petra Grandlund (SWE) 1:54.76
2. Inge Dekkar (NED) 1:54.80
3. Francesca Halsall (GBR) 1:54.84

100m breaststroke
1. Sarah Katsollis (AUS) 1:03.73
2. Jessica Hardy (USA) 1:03.87
3. Liesel Jones (AUS) 1:04.30

100m butterfly
1. Felicity Galvaz (AUS) 56.07
2. Francesa Halsall (GBR) 56.91
3. Jessicah Schipper (AUS) 57.55

50m backstroke
1. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 26.55
2. Marieke Guehrer (AUS) 26.57
3. Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) 26.70

200m individual medley
1. Whitney Myers (USA) 2:06.20
2. Kathryn Meaklim (RSA) 2:08.06
3. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 2:08.39

50m freestyle
1. Therese Alshammar (SWE) 23.27
2. Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) 23.53
3. Lara Jackson (USA) 24.04

200m backstroke
1. Elizabeth Simmonds (GBR) 2:01.48
2. Amanda Loots (RSA) 2:05.01
3. Whitney Myers (USA) 2:06.22