Bernard smashes third world record

By Derek Parr

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - Alain Bernard shattered his third world record in as many days on Sunday to achieve a rare sprint double when he broke the 50 metres freestyle mark at the European swimming championships.

Bernard forged through his 50 freestyle semi-final in 21.50 seconds to better the 21.56 world mark set by Australia's Eamon Sullivan in Sydney on February 17 this year.

The 24-year-old Frenchman snatched the 100 freestyle world record from Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband at the ailing Dutchman's home pool on Friday, clocking 47.60 in the semi-finals to beat the 47.84 mark Van den Hoogenband set at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Bernard lowered that to 47.50 in Saturday's final, winning the 100 title by almost a full second.

He is the first man to break the 50 and 100 freestyle world records at the same meeting since American Matt Biondi performed the then unprecedented feat in Orlando in June 1986 ahead of the world championships.

Bernard, sporting the muscular physique of a body-builder, produced the explosive power to match it in the water. Job done, he sat on his lane rope, smilingly soaking up the applause of the cheering crowd.

Marleen Veldhuis, the new women's 100 freestyle champion, threatened to make it a 50 freestyle world record double, falling just 0.13 seconds short of Dutch compatriot Inge de Bruijn's 24.13 world mark in the semi-finals.

GOLDEN DOUBLES