Times are getting trickier for Libby Trickett: Britta Steffen slogged out a 53.05 European record at Magdeburg today. The mark had stood at 53.20 since April. The Aussie's world record is now just 0.17sec away. In the 50m free, Steffen put in a 24.45sec effort.

Her training partner at Berlin Neukoln, Rafed El-Masri, former Syrian now racing for the land of his birth, set a German record of 21.86 in the 50m freestyle. The mark had stood at 22.11.

Along with times by Grant Hackett and Alessia Filippi, Steffen's efforts were unexpected beyond those in the close circle, coming as they did so close to the Games in Beijing.