The oldest world short-course record has gone. Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) raced 2.74sec inside the pace of Alison Wagner (USA) from 1994 on her way to a 2:06.13 victory ahead of a European record of 2:07.47 for Mireia Belmonte (ESP) and a Commonwealth record of 2:08.79 for Hannah Miley (GBR).
To a roar from the first sizeable crown at the MEN Arena all week, Coventry said: 'I just want to take the opportunity to thank the crowd. You guys have been great.' Her form had been helped by practice with Kim Brackin in Austin, Texas, in a short-course yards pool.
Coventry praised Brackin's work and thanked her family and friends watching in the crowd. As for the amazing split time, she laughed and said: 'I need to work on the breaststroke. I'm excited. I had a great meet. It's going to be exciting in Beijing.'
The first five women home raced inside 2:10, Liu Jin (CHN) and Elizabeth Simmonds (GBR) on 2:09.15 and 2:09.24, and the new all-time top 10 looks like this: