Hydro-Electric: Oz Swimmers Hitting Hard

BACK at you, Monsieur Bernard. That was the message from the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre last night when, just four days after Eamon Sullivan lost his 50 metres freestyle world record, he decided it was time to get it back.

Not to be outdone, Libby Trickett later smashed the world 100m freestyle mark on a night of high drama at the national championships. Trickett stopped the clock at 52.88 seconds, beating German Britta Steffen's old mark of 53.30 by 0.42.

On Monday morning Sydney time, France's Alain Bernard swam 21.50, lowering the world mark of 21.56, which Sullivan had set at the NSW Open six weeks ago.

But last night the 22-year-old decided he wanted to be the fastest man in history again, and he powered down the single lap event in a sizzling 21.41.

"I came in a bit more relaxed tonight having made the team last night [in the 100m freestyle]," said Sullivan, who missed Bernard's 100m world record by 0.02s the night before.

Asked if there was a bit of revenge in his performance last night, Sullivan said: "Yeah a little bit. It's sweet getting it back after last night, and after not having it before for that long."

Frenchman Bernard held the record for just four days, with his 21.50sec time set in Eindhoven at the European championships lowering Sullivan's previous world mark of 21.56sec set in Sydney in February.

It is the second time Trickett has broken the 53sec barrier, but her previous time of 52.99sec at the Duel in the Pool here last year was not ratified by FINA because she was swimming against Michael Phelps.

"I cannot say how much I wanted to do that," Trickett said.

"Ever since Duel in the Pool last year ... I've just wanted it so badly and to see it officially up there is just amazing."