Melbourne, AUS - Geoff Huegill smashed the 50m butterfly world record on the second night of the Telstra FINA World Cup 5 swimming meet at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre here tonight.

He set the pool alight, much like he did the previous evening when he treated the huge crowd to a ripping 100m individual medley victory.

But tonight it was record stuff with Huegill getting away fast and gliding into the wall to gain the short-course world record of 22.84 to go with his long course record. (See separate interview). Huegill bettered the old record of 22.87 by Mark Foster (GBR) from January 2001.

Australians won six of the 11 events on the second of three nights of finals but the second best performance behind Huegill was the United States' Rachel Komisarz, who swam 57.45 in the women's 100m butterfly, less than a second outside countrywoman Jenny Thompson's world mark set in Athens early last year. The swim earned 1005 points on the ranking system, 15 behind Huegill's 1021.

Lindsay Benko (USA) was next best with a swift 400m freestyle swim of 4:03.38 followed by Australia's Elka Graham with 4:03.42 for an Australian record.

Michael Klim (AUS) raced home in 1:44.24 for the 200m freestyle victory and Komisarz was at it again with her third placing in the 400m freestyle.

Charlene Wittstock (RSA) bettered her own African record of 1:00.28 with her winning effort in the 100 backrtoke with 1:00.16.

The stands were packed once again as Melbourne fans cheered on their Australian heroes. Local news media is showcasing the event with pages of newspaper copy, two channels of television and ample radio coverage, some live.

World record interview:
The manner in which Geoff Huegill (AUS) cruised to the wall in the 50m butterfly final and still gaining a world record, suggests he could have a crack at the 100m time tomorrow evening.

Huegill admitted stretching to the wall and said that he had to agree their could be more pace in there for the 100m final.

"I don't want to predict a time but it could be fast."

The day started well for Huegill and he was in the right frame of mind for a record, even though that wasn't his aim. "I had a really good day. I went into the city to sign autographs for Speedo and then I just a had a blinder of a swim."

On winning the race and seeing the time, Huegill said he misread the scoreboard. "I had a look and saw it was 22.84 and looked at it again and saw the 22.87 (old record)."

His previous best was 22.95.

Huegill put it to American Ed Moses in a joking tone that he had the wood on him when it came to best points for the men's prize but Moses replied that he was equal to the task.

The new record holder said he was about to go into a four-week training block before continuing the next lot of World Cup meets.

"It's going to be quite fun with the temptations of Christmas but..."