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SINGAPORE : 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.
- AFP/vm
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