Rolph fails to make impression

Susan Rolph finished sixth in a second successive final at the World Short Course Championships in Sweden last night.

The 18-year-old Newcastle swimmer repeated her performance in the 100 metres in the 50m final, clocking 25.41sec, 0.09sec outside her British record. Germany's Sandra Volker followed up her victory over 100m, winning in 24.70.

Richard Maden missed out on a medal by his fingertips as he was beaten into fourth place in the 100m breaststroke but had the consolation of recording a personal best.

The Rochdale swimmer, who qualified for his first major final with the fifth fastest time, was just edged out by the favourite, Jens Kruppa of Germany, who had to settle for bronze.

Maden clocked 1:00.32, reducing his best by 0.08sec, compared to Kruppa's 1:00.18 as Sweden's Patrik Isaksson (59.99) powered home from the outside lane to take a surprise gold medal.

Earlier in the heats Adam Ruckwood broke his own British 200m backstroke record to qualify for the final. The reigning Commonwealth Games champion at the distance sliced 0.37sec off the mark he set in Sheffield last year when winning his heat in 1:55.63.

The 4 x 200m freestyle relay squad of Andrew Clayton, Gavin Meadows, Mark Stevens and James Salter broke the British record by nearly seven seconds with a mark of 7:11.13.

Results, Digest, page 31