There were no world or World Cup records but the water was churning and the 2100-strong crowd witnessed some world class swims on the second night of the World Cup swimming meet in Melbourne, Australia.

There was Olympic 1500m champion Grant Hackett's 200m freestyle win, which was the second fastest in history with Dutch Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband coming in with the fifth fastest.

Then there was Australian Elke Graham's third fastest time in history in the 400m freestyle with World Cup record holder Lindsay Benko (USA) finishing with the eighth fastest time.

Swede Emma Igelstrom blew apart the European record for the 200m breaststroke and finished just under a second outside the world best. German wunderkind Thomas Rupprath gained his second and third gold medals of the meet with a fast 200m individual medley and swift 50m butterfly.

But it was the men's 200m freestyle they had all come to see.

Hackett had to work to topple Olympic 100m and 200m freestyle champion Hoogenband in the glamour event of the meet. The personable Dutchman, a big favourite in Melbourne, led through the first four laps but Hackett snuck up and overtook him in the next lap and had the lead, just 1.68 down on Australian Ian Thorpe's world best. Thorpe had the world's fastest four times but Hackett is now second on the all-time list. Van den Hoogenband also made inroads to Thorpe's all-time list, slotting in at fifth with his fastest time, 0.65 faster than the time he set in 1998. The win was worth 1012 points for Hackett and van den Hoogenband topped the 1000 mark by two. Third was lane eight's Australian Stephen Penfold in 1:45.77, who out-touched compatriot Antony Matkovich, who was third throughout.

In an event in which Australian Geoff Heugill's world record was seriously under threat, Rupprath gave it a nudge but fell short with a 23.21 time. Heugill's time of 22.74 was recorded in Berlin earlier this year. Rupprath gained 978 points and headed off Briton Mark Foster and Australian world No 2 Adam Pine.

The final of the 200m backstroke was notable for Australian Matt Welsh's "mistake" when about to take third place. Welsh touched with his feet during a tumble turn, allowing team-mate Ethan Rolfe to grab the bronze medal. Former world record holder Welsh was disqualified for not staying on his back at the finish. Great Briton Stephen Parry had the race sewn up from the start with an excellent swim while the Netherlands' Klaas Erik Zwering tried his hardest to grab the race in the final 50m. Parry touched in 1:54.31, ahead of Zwering in 1:54.52. Rolff's consolation medal came in 1:56.10.

The world's fastest swimmer over the long course 100m breaststroke, Russian Roman Sludnov, could not match it with the United States' David Denniston, who won in 59.20, well outside countryman Ed Moses' world mark of 57.47. Denniston said it was the fastest he has swum for several years and was looking forward to going faster. Sludnov was 0.25 behind, breaking the minute mark while New York bronze medallist Brenton Rickard (AUS) was third in 1:00.65. Denniston's swim was good enough for 981 points.

Rupprath outgunned his rivals in the freestyle leg of the 200m individual medley, finishing in 1:56.41. His time, a German national record, was less than two seconds outside Finn Jani Sievinen's world mark of 1:54.65. Australian Adam Lucas was second for much of the race but Italian Massimiliano Rosolino, who trains in Melbourne, was second in 2:00.31 with Lucas third in 2:01.15.

Graham's 400m freestyle swim broke her Commonwealth record with a scintillating 4:01.17, outclassing long course record holder Benko. The time, just 1.14 outside Claudia Poll's 1997 record and 0.87 behind Benko's World Cup mark, was attained after a world record pace at 50m and the lead until 100m before Benko took the lead for the next six laps. Graham struck back at the 300m mark and was 2.48 down on record pace but trimmed that to 1.6 seconds down with 50m to go and pulling away from Benko and a distant Rachel Komisarz (4:06.32). Benko won this event in New York and Komisarz in Rio de Janeiro. Graham earned 1003 points for her effort.

Komisarz proved her strength 15 minutes after the 400m freestyle, winning the 100m butterfly in 58.67, nearly two seconds faster than her morning heat. Australians Felicity Galvez (59.43) and Jessicah Schipper (59.48) took out the minor placings.

A blanket could be thrown over the field for the 100m backstroke final with six touching the wall simultaneously. South African Charlene Wittstock came in five hundredths of a second ahead of Giaan Rooney (AUS), just beside her in lane one. Courtney Shealy (USA) was one hundredth of a second back in third. The next three swimmers were only 0.24 behind third place.

A world record just five days old came close to being beaten when Igelstrom went just under a second outside Chinese Qi Hui's mark set in Shanghai in the 200m breaststroke. Igelstrom overhauled Jones in the final 50m. Jones went through the 100m 0.06 under world pace and was just 0.45 behind going into the final two laps. But Igelstrom was too good and finished in 2:19.85 (world record 2:18.86) to Jones' 2:20.89 and Australian Brooke Hanson's 2:25.19.

Swede Therese Alshammar didn't push her world record in the dash-for-cash 50m freestyle, winning in a comfortable 24.58, 0.99 outside her world best, set in Athens in 2000. Young Aussie sensation Lisbeth Lenton and countrywoman Michelle Engelsman dead-heated for second in 25.10. Australian breaststroke specialist Brooke Hanson won the 200m individual medley in 1:01.85, heading off Chinese 12-year-old Tianyi Zhang (1:02.69) and the Netherlands' Hinkelien Schreuder (1:02.76).

Leading points scorers on Day 2:
Men:
Grant Hackett (AUS), 200m freestyle, 1012
Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED), 200m freestyle, 1002
Thomas Rupprath (GER), 200m individual medley, 992
David Denniston (USA), 100m breaststroke, 981
Thomas Rupprath (GER), 50m butterfly, 978

Women:
Emma Igelstrom (SWE), 200m breaststroke, 1013
Leisel Jones (AUS), 100m breaststroke, 1003
Elka Graham (AUS), 400m freestyle, 1003
Lindsay Benko (USA), 400m freestyle, 993
Therese Alshammar (SWE), 50m freestyle, 984


Cumulative best points after 2 nights:
Men:
Grant Hackett (AUS), 400m freestyle, 1019
Grant Hackett (AUS), 200m freestyle, 1012
Thomas Rupprath (GER), 50m backstroke, 1010
Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED), 200m freestyle, 1002
Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED), 100m freestyle, 994
Thomas Rupprath (GER), 200m individual medley, 992
Matt Welsh (AUS), 50m backstroke, 992
Stephen Parry (GBR), 200m butterfly, 986

Women:
Emma Igelstrom (SWE), 200m breaststroke, 1013
Emma Igelstrom (SWE), 100m breaststroke, 1007
Leisel Jones (AUS), 100m breaststroke, 1003
Elka Graham (AUS), 400m freestyle, 1003
Leisel Jones (AUS), 100m breaststroke, 1000
Lindsay Benko (USA), 400m freestyle, 993
Kerri-Anne Payne (USA), 800m freestyle, 981
Tianyi Zhang (CHN), 400m individual medley, 977
Rachel Komisarz (USA), 800m freestyle, 976

DAY 2 FINALS - SATURDAY DECEMBER 7, 2002

Event 113, 400m Freestyle Women, Final

1. GRAHAM Elka 1981 AUS 4:01.17
2. BENKO Lindsay 1976 USA 4:02.98 1.81
3. KOMISARZ Rachel 1976 USA 4:06.32 5.15
4. THOMSON Kirsten 1983 AUS 4:08.77 7.60
5. PAYNE Kerri-Anne 1987 GBR 4:11.96 10.79
6. WILSON Belinda 1984 AUS 4:12.11 10.94
7. CANNING Katie 1985 AUS 4:13.06 11.89
8. ZAHND Nicole 1980 SUI 4:13.28 12.11


Event 114, 50m Butterfly Men, Final

1. RUPPRATH Thomas 1977 GER 23.21
2. FOSTER Mark 1970 GBR 23.65 0.44
3. PINE Adam 1976 AUS 23.78 0.57
4. MARCHENKO Igor 1975 RUS 23.86 0.65
5. KEIZER Joris 1979 NED 23.88 0.67
6. MILLER Scott 1975 AUS 23.96 0.75
7. COHEN Jason 1982 AUS 24.15 0.94
8. PIMANKOV Denis 1975 RUS 24.41 1.20


Event 115, 100m Butterfly Women, Final

1. KOMISARZ Rachel 1976 USA 58.67
2. GALVEZ Felicity 1985 AUS 59.43 0.76
3. SCHIPPER Jessicah 1986 AUS 59.48 0.81
4. WEBB Jordana 1983 AUS 1:00.08 1.41
5. COFFEE Rachel 1983 AUS 1:00.29 1.62
6. DAVENPORT Lara 1983 AUS 1:00.76 2.09
7. IRVING Nicole 1982 AUS 1:00.94 2.27
8. CORKRAN Kate 1983 AUS 1:01.47 2.80


Event 116, 200m Backstroke Men, Final

1. PARRY Stephen 1977 GBR 1:54.31
2. ZWERING Klaas Erik 1981 NED 1:54.52 0.21
3. ROLFF Ethan 1982 AUS 1:56.10 1.79
4. BACON Mitchell 1983 AUS 1:58.15 3.84
5. GIBSON Cameron 1982 NZL 1:58.25 3.94
6. SPICER Matt 1982 AUS 1:58.30 3.99
7. ROMERO Rogerio 1969 BRA 1:58.63 4.32
WELSH Matt 1976 AUS DSQ


Event 117, 100m Backstroke Women, Final

1. WITTSTOCK Charlene 1978 RSA 1:00.32
2. ROONEY Giaan 1982 AUS 1:00.37 0.05
3. SHEALY Courtney 1977 USA 1:00.38 0.06
4. CALUB Dyana 1975 AUS 1:00.48 0.16
5. ZHIVANEVSKAYA Nina 1977 ESP 1:00.50 0.18
6. HANSON Pam 1979 USA 1:00.62 0.30
7. SCHREUDER Hinkelien 1984 NED 1:01.47 1.15
8. MCLEAN Hannah 1981 NZL 1:01.74 1.42


Event 118, 100m Breaststroke Men, Final

1. DENNISTON David 1978 USA 59.20
2. SLUDNOV Roman 1980 RUS 59.45 0.25
3. RICKARD Brenton 1983 AUS 1:00.65 1.45
4. PIPER Jim 1981 AUS 1:00.67 1.47
5. BEASLEY James 1982 AUS 1:00.77 1.57
6. PETERSON Brett 1976 RSA 1:00.78 1.58
7. ROGERS Phil 1971 AUS 1:00.98 1.78
8. MCDONALD Robert 1981 AUS 1:01.55 2.35


Event 119, 200m Breaststroke Women, Final

1. IGELSTROM Emma 1980 SWE 2:19.85
2. JONES Leisel 1985 AUS 2:20.89 1.04
3. HANSON Brooke 1978 AUS 2:25.19 5.34
4. KASOULIS Sarah 1984 AUS 2:27.98 8.13
5. WAITE Kelli 1985 AUS 2:29.79 9.94
6. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 2:30.06 10.21
7. LEE Amanda 1986 AUS 2:30.45 10.60
8. YOUNG Kate 1984 AUS 2:33.98 14.13


Event 120, 200m Freestyle Men, Final

1. HACKETT Grant 1980 AUS 1:42.48
2. VAN DEN HOOGENBAND Pieter 1978 NED 1:43.18 0.70
3. PENFOLD Stephen 1982 AUS 1:45.77 3.29
4. MATKOVICH Antony 1977 AUS 1:46.04 3.56
5. CARVIN Chad 1974 USA 1:47.49 5.01
6. MEWING Andrew 1981 AUS 1:48.28 5.80
7. KUHLMANN Jens 1979 GER 1:48.97 6.49
8. BURNETT Simon 1983 GBR 1:49.14 6.66


Event 121, 50m Freestyle Women, Final

1. ALSHAMMAR Therese 1977 SWE 24.58
2. LENTON Lisbeth 1985 AUS 25.10 0.52
2. ENGELSMAN Michelle 1979 AUS 25.10 0.52
4. CHELLINGWORTH Nichola 1980 AUS 25.20 0.62
5. GUEHRER Marieke 1986 AUS 25.37 0.79
6. CREEDY Rebecca 1983 AUS 25.51 0.93
7. TOMLINSON Louise 1981 AUS 25.56 0.98
8. FITCH Alison 1980 NZL 25.99 1.41


Event 122, 200m Individual Medley Men, Final

1. RUPPRATH Thomas 1977 GER 1:56.41
2. ROSOLINO Massimiliano 1978 ITA 2:00.31 3.90
3. LUCAS Adam 1983 AUS 2:01.15 4.74
4. BACON Mitchell 1983 AUS 2:02.01 5.60
5. SAMINADIN Olivier 1977 FRA 2:02.88 6.47
6. VAN DER ZANT Robert 1975 AUS 2:03.44 7.03
7. TAYLOR Nathan 1982 AUS 2:03.77 7.36
8. PEREIRA Thiago 1986 BRA 2:06.79 10.38


Event 123, 100m Individual Medley Women, Final

1. HANSON Brooke 1978 AUS 1:01.85
2. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 1:02.69 0.84
3. SCHREUDER Hinkelien 1984 NED 1:02.76 0.91
4. REESE Shayne 1982 AUS 1:03.32 1.47
5. JONES Leisel 1985 AUS 1:03.83 1.98
6. CARROLL Lara 1986 AUS 1:04.33 2.48
7. SHEALY Courtney 1977 USA 1:04.59 2.74
8. BARTLETT Georgie 1983 AUS 1:04.65 2.80