Belinda Hocking fell just 0.34sec shy of Meagen Nay’s Australian record to win the 200m backstroke in 2:07.75 at NSW State Championships in Sydney. Hocking’s time catapults her to an early lead on the world rankings this year and kept Nay at bay on 2:08.84, the bronze going to Mellisa Ingram (NZL) in 2:11.77.

"I can’t believe I just did that. Honestly that is a very, very big shock," Hocking told reporters. "I only got back from altitude training on Wednesday, so to do that off the back of some very hard training is just amazing."

The meet went without a sprinter to watch for, James Magnussen: he qualified second fastest for the 100m free final but had to withdraw from the final after returning home from heats to find his house had been burgled. Magnussen’s coach Brant Best said that the swimmer would be looking for a new place to live. "That’s the second time in three months Maggy has been robbed and we simply can’t have that happen again,” said Best. "He is a country boy from Port Macquarie and has been really shaken up by the whole ordeal, but he will suit up again tomorrow to finish his program."

In Magnussen's absence the crown went to Kyle Richardson in 49.51, ahead of Matt Abood (49.83) and 18 year-old Kenneth To (49.89).

Olympic champion Leisel Jones laid down a marker in the 100m breaststroke, on 1:06.68 several weeks out from Shanghai world title trials. In her wake came Japan's Kanako Watanabe (1:08.48) and Miku Kanasashi (1:08.89). "I’m definitely ahead of where I thought I would be at this stage of my preparation for world champ trials," said Jones. "I’m hoping to pick up more easy speed in the next six weeks before trials."

The women's 400m medley saw double Olympic medley champion Stephanie Rice suffer a rare defeat Natalie Wiegersma, of New Zealand, leading from start to a 4:40.16 finish, Rice, in heavy training for world-title trials, on 4:41.46, Samantha Hamill third in 4:42.77.

A close race over 400m free resulted in narrow victory for visiting Canadian Ryan Cochrane over Australia's Ryan Napoleon, 3:50.79 to 3:50.97, with Australian Robert Hurley third in 3:51.37.

No stopping Therese Alshammar, the Swedish sprinter training Down Under at Grant Stoelwinder's Sydney squad: she took the 50m butterfly in 25.88, ahead of Israel's Amit Ivri, 26.90, and 2009 world champion Marieke Guehrer on 27.01. Things were a little tighter in the men's 50m backstroke, Ashley Delaney taking gold in 25.44 ahead of Daniel Arnamnart (25.71) and Hayden Stoeckel (25.89).

Elsewhere, Canada's Stefan Hirniak was the only sub 2-minute man in the 200m butterfly, on 1:59.62, New Zealander Glenn Snyders won the 50m breaststroke in 28.27, and Australians Angie Bainbridge and Merindah Dingjan tied for gold in the 100m freestyle in 55.37.