One more mark for Thorpe

Australia’s Geoff Huegill also set a world record in the 50 metres butterfly. He clocked 23.60 seconds to better the previous mark of 23.68 recorded by Russia’s Denis Pankratov in August 1996.

But his record-breaking performance was overshadowed by the remarkable Thorpe. The Sydney teenager swam well within himself through the first 150 metres in Sunday’s race before unleashing a devastating burst of speed on the final length. He was 0.17 outside his old world record at the three quarter-point but still managed to wipe almost one-third of a second off that time when he touched the wall.

Huegill is hoping to make the Olympics in the 100 butterfly along with Australia’s world record holder Michael Klim.

Petria Thomas won the women’s 100 butterfly final in 58.43, beating Susan O’Neill who had won the event for the past 10 years by 0.28. Both qualified for the Sydney Olympics.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Thomas who has fought her way back from shoulder surgery after finishing second behind O’Neill in the 200 butterfly at both the 1998 Atlanta Olympics and 1998 Perth World Championships.

Barcelona bronze medallist Phil Rogers qualified for his third Olympics by winning the men’s 100 breaststroke final in 1:02.59, 0.04 in front of Commonwealth champion Simon Cowley.

Thorpe’s coach Doug Frost said he also believed the 17-year-old could win at any distance but was against him tackling the 1,500 because it might burn him out. “I know he’s capable of going faster. This is probably not the end of it,” Frost said.

“But I feel that if you want to go down in history as being one of the greatest swimmers of all time, you’ve really got to do it at the Olympics. You’ve really got to produce it at two or three if you want to stamp yourself as the swimmer of the century.”

Despite breaking the 200 freestyle world record Thorpe still has to qualify for the Olympics by finishing either first or second in Monday’s final. He has already qualified for the 400 metres by winning Saturday’s final and is also hoping to make it in the 100 and possibly the 1,500.

“I place great expectations on myself,” Thorpe said. “I intend to swim at three Olympics and swim well there. By 2008, by my terms, that would make me a very old man.”

Huegill said he did not think he had been “going that fast” on his record swim. “It’s a bit of a confidence booster for me to get one race out of the way and have a solid hit-out.”