FINA Live Blog : Swimming, Day 4 - Men's 50m breaststroke: Van der Burgh edges out Sprenger for gold

Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) turned the tables on his 100m breaststroke conqueror Christian Sprenger (AUS) to reclaim the world 50m breaststroke crown by the tiny margin of one-hundredth of a second at the FINA World Championships. Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Van der Burgh had to settle for silver behind Sprenger in the 100 event on Day 2 but levelled the score in the 50.

Van der Burgh, 50m gold medallist in 2009 and bronze medallist in 2007 and 2011, won the one-length sprint in 26.77, 0.10 seconds outside his own world record, with Sprenger - Olympic 100m breaststroke silver medallist behind Van der Burgh in 2012 - touching in 26.78. Giulio Zorzi, Van der Burgh's South African team-mate, snatched the bronze in 27.04, himself just 0.01 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Damir Dugonjic of Slovenia.

World Record: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 26.67 – July 29, 2009 in Rome (ITA)
Championships Record: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 26.67 – July 29, 2009 in Rome (ITA)
Best performance of the current season (since January 2013): Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 26.77 – July 31, in Barcelona (ESP)
2003-2011 winners in this event: 2003 – James Gibson (GBR, 27.56); 2005 – Mark Warnecke (GER, 27.63); 2007 – Oleg Lisogor (UKR, 27.66); 2009 – Cameron vd Burgh (RSA, 26.67); 2011 – Felipe Franca Silva (BRA, 27.01)
The best in this event (1. most victories or 2. fastest time): Oleg Lisogor (UKR, 2001 & 2007)
Not in the Olympic programme


source : Barcelona 2013 - FINA Live Blog