One more mark for Thorpe

BERLIN, FEBRURY 7: Australian Ian Thorpe and Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States set world records at the Berlin World Cup shortcourse ...

BERLIN, FEBRURY 7: Australian Ian Thorpe and Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States set world records at the Berlin World Cup shortcourse meeting but their triumphs came amid controversy over drug testing procedures which almost prompted an Australian and US withdrawal.

Aside from the pre-Olympic boost and the kudos of another record-breaking showing, the teenage star, who has now clocked seven individual world records in the past 18 months, also receives a jeep worth around 25,000.

Thorpe said he would sell the vehicle and give the proceeds to the United Nations Children8217;s Fund.

Krayzelburg bagged his second world mark of the weekend in the 200m backstroke, timing 1min 52.43s, having triumphed on Saturday in the 100m backstroke. His previous world mark had been 1:52.47.

The Australian and American teams earlier withdrew their threat to quit the meeting. The two teams had raised the prospect of a pull-out on Saturday night after concern over what they considered lax drug testing.

Thorpe andKrayzelburg were two of five swimmers tested after the first day of the shortcourse meet on Saturday.

But Australian coach Don Talbot was furious that organisers had not provided tamper-proof containers for the urine samples. He said the swimmers had to wait four hours for the matter to be resolved, when the police arrived to seal the plastic bags.

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On Sunday, Talbot gave the green light for his team to compete, saying: 8220;The police gave us every guaranteee concerning the security of the samples.8221; On the strength of these guarantees the United States also decided to compete.

The German Swimming Federation DSV threatened to exclude national coach Manfred Thiesmann from taking part in Olympic Games after remarks he allegedly made about Thorpe.

After Thorpe8217;s wins in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle at the World Cup event in Sheffield, Thiesmann is reported to have told a British magazine that 8220;lots of people suspect him Thorpe of drug taking8221;.

Rudiger Tretow, president of the DSV, said: 8220;Ifthis affair blows up in Australia, we8217;ll have to examine whether we are going to retain him for the Games in Sydney.8221;

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DSV spokesman Gerd Haden maintained on Thursday that Thiesmann never accused Thorpe of being doped.