Meets: Lyons International, BUSA in Britain, Grand Prix in US

The 12th Lyons International meet saw Marleen Veldhuis (NED) set a Dutch record of 25.62 in the 50m butterfly and give the world record a scare. The global mark of 25.46 has stood to Therese Alshammar (SWE) since last year.

Veldhuis, coached by Jacco Verhaeren in Eindhoven, jumps from fifth on the all-time best list to third, behind Alshammar and fellow Swede Anna-Karin Kammerling, on 25.57. Inge Dekker had held the Dutch record at 25.89.

Having lost one thing to Veldhuis, Dekker got one back when she inflicted a rare defeat on her teammate: world silver medal winner and European champion on sprint free, Veldhuis found herself a a fingernail behind Dekker's winning 25.61 in the 50m free.

Rebecca Adlington, Britain's double Olympic champion in Beijing, withdrew from racing 800m freestyle because of a stomach upset. It was to have been her first international test since she won the 400m freestyle and set the world record on the way to victory over 800m at the Games in China last year. 

The Nottingham swimmer, who celebrates her 20th birthday on Tuesday, stopped off in France on her way home from a training camp in the Canary Islands. She "may swim the 400m" in Lyon today (SAT), said her manager Rob Woodhouse. "We think she might have picked up something on the plane. She's over the worst of it but she's feeling a bit drained."

Adlington, coached by Bill Furniss, is in full training for Britain's Rome 2009 world championship trials in Sheffield next month.

Back in England today, Jo Jackson, the Brit teammate and friend of Adlington's who won bronze in the Olympic 400m final, stepped up to 800m at the British Universities titles and clocked a hearty 8:23.87. That makes her only the second British woman to get past Sarah Hardcastle, Olympic silver and bronze medal winner in 1984 and ranks her 20th fastest all-time. Of those, eight still compete. 

Jackson, now coached by Kevin Renshaw at Loughborough University, had been fifth best Brit ever on 8:30.32 before today, on a list headed by the 8:14.10 world record set by Adlington in Beijing last year. 

Over in the States, Mary DeScenza continued to notch up the points on the leader board at the USA Swimming Grand Prix, Missouri, swum in long-course metres.

In the 200m free, DeScenza got the 0.01sec edge on Katie Hoff, 1:58.25 to 1:58.26, with Chloe Sutton third in 2:00.79. Descenza was back in front later on, taking the 100m 'fly in a swift 58.11 ahead of 58.68 for Christine Magnuson. The 100m breaststroke went to Keri Hehn in 1:08.54 and the 400m medley to Tanya Hunks (CAN) 4:48.12.

Among men, Oussama Mellouli (TUN) got the touch over Brent Hayden (CAN), 1:47.28 to 1:47.52, in the 200m free, while cancer-free Eric Shanteau clocked 1:01.93 to take the 100m breaststroke. In the 100m 'fly, Masayuki Kishida (JPN) led Ryan Lochte home, 53.11 to 53.84. Lochte showed the way later with a 4:19.49 400m medley.