World championship silver medallist Belinda Hocking has broken her own Australian record in the 200m backstroke at the FINA World Cup in Berlin, picking up silver behind world record breaking 16-year-old Missy Franklin from the US.

A gold medallist in the event in Stockholm last weekend, Hocking shaved more than a second off her previous best for the event (2:02.61), which was swam at the same venue in 2009, to finish in 2:01.24, with Franklin breaking the world record by 0.15 of a second in 2:00.03.

Hocking’s time was just outside the Commonwealth Games record of 2:00.91 held by Elizabeth Simmonds of Great Britain who finished third.

The 21-year-old from the Albury Swim Club and based at the AIS in Canberra then had to settle for another silver medal in the 50m backstroke in 27.02, with teammate Rachel Goh winning her fourth gold medal of the series in 26.80 and Simmonds third in 27.09.

Geoff Huegill was also on the top step of the podium again winning gold in the 50m butterfly in a time of 22.67 from Germany’s Steffen Deibler (22.89) and Russia’s Evgeny Korotyshkin in 22.95.

In the men’s 100m freestyle Matthew Abood swam his fastest race of the series to win bronze in 47.39 from Brent Hayden (47.06) and Steffen Nystrand (47.23). Eamon Sullivan was a late withdrawal from the event with a stomach bug, but is expected to swim the 50m freestyle tonight.

Sydney teenager Kenneth To continued to show strong form in the 100m IM again, finishing third to Michael Phelps and James Goodard from Great Britain. To hit the wall in 52.46, with Phelps winning in 51.65.

Having swam a personal best time in the 200m freestyle in Stockholm, Angie Bainbridge won her fourth silver and fifth medal overall of the series, finishing second in the 200 free in a new PB, just 0.01 of a second better than her time in Sweden.

Bainbridge was a second behind gold medal winner Allison Schmitt from the US in 1:52.08, and also finished fifth in the 50m freestyle in 24.64, while her AIS training partner Sally Foster took bronze in the 100m breaststroke in 1:06.54.

Swimming Australia Head Coach Leigh Nugent said while the racing continues to get tougher the small Australian team has also found a new gear.

“We always want to see people improving their times as the meets go on, and that was certainly the case here in Berlin tonight,” said Nugent.

“Belinda Hocking’s swim was outstanding, chasing down a world record performance by Franklin and Matt Abood also put in his best 100m freestyle of the series so far, in what was a very tight finish.”

On the final night of competition, Rachel Goh and Sally Foster each took silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke respectively.

With the FINA World Cup series now moving to Asia starting in Singapore on Friday 4 November, Matthew Abood, Rachel Goh and Eamon Sullivan will be the only Australian’s backing up for the next meet on the calendar, and will be joined in the 25-strong team by the likes of Ian Thorpe, Libby Trickett, Brenton Rickard and Jessicah Schipper.

FINA/ARENA World Cup – Australian Teams:

4-5 November – Singapore
Matthew Abood, Tim Antalfy, Sam Ashby, Andrew Lauterstein, Cameron McEvoy, David McKeon, Kyle Richardson, Brenton Rickard, Christian Sprenger, Eamon Sullivan, Ian Thorpe, Chris Wright, Cate Campbell, Merindah Dingjan, Blair Evans, Ellen Fullerton, Rachel Goh, Olivia Halicek,  Grace Loh, Emma McKeon, Kylie Palmer, Leiston Pickett, Jessicah Schipper, Mikkayla Sheridan, Libby Trickett

8-9 November – Beijing
Tim Antalfy, Sam Ashby, Robert Hurley, Andrew Lauterstein, Kyle Richardson, Brenton Rickard, Christian Sprenger, Eamon Sullivan, Ian Thorpe, Chris Wright, Cate Campbell, Merindah Dingjan, Blair Evans, Ellen Fullerton, Rachel Goh, Olivia Halicek, Grace Loh, Emma McKeon, Kylie Palmer, Leiston Pickett, Jessicah Schipper, Mikkayla Sheridan, Libby Trickett

12-13 November – Tokyo
Tim Antalfy, Sam Ashby, Robert Hurley, Andrew Lauterstein, Kyle Richardson, Brenton Rickard, Christian Sprenger, Eamon Sullivan, Ian Thorpe, Chris Wright, Cate Campbell, Merindah Dingjan, Blair Evans, Rachel Goh, Olivia Halicek, Grace Loh, Leiston Pickett, Libby Trickett

Swimming Australia