Inge de Bruin's 24.13 50m freestyle world record from 2000 is looking a little shaky as 2008 beckons: Marleen Veldhuis, coached by Jacco Verhaeren in Eindhoven, clocked 24.30 long-course at the Dutch Swimcup within a month of taking out the world s/c record.

Canada's Brent Hayden, world 100m freestyle champion, was also in great form, a 22.23 50m effort close to his 22.19 national record and swift enough to keep at bay Olympic silver medallist, Duje Draganja, of Croatia, on 22.38, and Olympic bronze medallist of 2000, Pieter van den Hoogenband, on 22.51. Young Brit Craig Gibbons finished fourth on 22.84.

Hayden's teammate Ryan Cochran took charge of the other end of the spectrum, with a 15:10.83 to 15:11.12 win over Thomas Lurz, of Germany.