SWIMMING: Short course specialist Kenneth To has set a new Australian record in the men’s 100m individual medley overnight, hitting the wall in a time of 51.19, to take gold at the FINA World Cup in Doha.

A silver medallist in this event from the 2012 FINA World Championships, the 2010 Youth Olympian To was too quick for Russian Vladimir Morozov (51.49) and Trinidad and Tobago swimmer George Bovell (51.87).

After an impressive breaststroke leg, To was not far off Ryan Lochte’s world record pace and came into the wall just under half a second behind to set a new Australian short course record and inch his way closer to the world’s best time.

In the men’s 100m freestyle To picked up his second medal of the night, winning bronze in a time of 46.81.

To’s world cup rival Morozov finished first in 45.94 with USA swimmer Anthony Ervin second in 46.64.

Twenty-five-year-old Robert Hurley (3:39.59) began his Doha campaign in style with a gold medal in the men’s 400m freestyle. Hurley, who led from the start was able to hold off a fast finishing Myles Brown (3:39.98) from South Africa and Denmark swimmer Mads Glaesner (3:42.03) to take top spot.

In the men’s 100m backstroke Hurley was just out-touched for gold by American Thomas Shields. Shields stopped the clock at 50.23 while Hurley hit just behind in 50.29 to take the silver medal.

Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki (51.12) was third while Australian’s Ashley Delaney (51.72) and Travis Mahoney (52.86) finished fourth and eighth respectively.

Mahoney also went on to finish seventh in the men’s 400m individual medley hitting the wall in a time of 4:15.28.

In the women’s events, Belinda Hocking and Emily Seebohm couldn’t be separated in the 200m backstroke final, with the girls finishing equal fourth in a time of 2:06.19m, while first place went to Daryna Zevina from Ukraine in 2:01.17.

In the women’s 50m backstroke Seebohm again just missed a podium finish, securing fourth place in a time of 27.21. Poland’s Aleksandra Urbanczyk picked up the gold medal with her time of 26.49.

In her final event of the night Seebohm finished in fifth place in the women’s 200m individual medley behind eventual winner Katinka Hosszu (2:05.45) in a time of 2:08.32.

Swimming Australia