Eamon Sullivan has set a world record of 21.28 in the 50m freestyle at the Australian trials in Sydney. The time says it all. You can read what went before here. The title holder on 22.00 last year, Sullivan has set new rules. Ashley Callus took second in a slouchy 22.02.

Sullivan's timewarp is a big aberration on what has gone before on many levels and ways of looking at it. There are no arguments and no two ways about that. We have never seen the like when it comes to progress at the helm of the sprint crew:

Here's the journey in brief:

21.28 March 2008
21.41 March 2008
21.56 February 2008
22.00 December 2006
22.05 March 2007

And here's the gulf to the rest of a world that must surely be praying to the aquatic god of hope and truth that the suit is having a big impact and that they too are just about to enjoy the benefits of technology. Or can training and talent and all things nice explain it all?:

21.28 Sullivan March 2008
21.50 Bernard March 2008
21.64 Popov 2000
21.69 Schoeman 2005
21.76 Hall Jr 2000
21.80 WildmanTobriner 2007
21.80 Ervin USA 2000
21.81 Jager USA 1990
21.82 Jones USA 2007
21.84 Cielo BRA 2007

I sat in Eindhoven and watched Alain Bernard as he weilded the sword of a new speed over rivals. Bernard's weapon now looks seriously blunted. Heaven knows where the fight to catch up will take the world of sprinting.

Cate Campbell, 15, meanwhile, laid down the gauntlet to world champion Libby Trickett (nee Lenton) with a Commonwealth record of 24.30 in the 50m semis. She had held the standard at 24.48. Next through was Alice Mills, on 24.97, with Trickett (with a 24.53 best so far) playing it cool on 25.07.