Nadja Higl and Daniel Gyurta produced shock 200-meter breaststroke victories on Friday to show that fairytales were still possible at a swimming world championships dogged by the controversy over hi-tech suits. Serbia's Higl came from nowhere to seize gold in the women's final after American Olympic champion Rebecca Soni had gone off like a torpedo only to burn out before the wall. Unlike most of the finals this week in Rome, there was no world record for Higl, just the knowledge she had beaten the best and deserved her title. “I came to Rome hoping to reach the semifinal, then I got into the final and I won the gold medal. It's a dream and I still can't believe it,” she told reporters after bagging a first ever female swimming world championship gold for Serbia. Canada's Annamay Pierse smashed the world record in Thursday's semifinal but she could only finish a close second to Higl with Austrian Mirna Jukic snatching third from an exhausted Soni, who won Tuesday's 100 breaststroke. Hungary's Gyurta was similarly unfancied in the men's event but he kept his nerve to beat big names Eric Shanteau of the United States and Australia's Christian Sprenger, who broke the world record in the semis but had to settle for joint-third. “I didn't see anything in the last five meters. I just went for it,” Gyurta told reporters. The fact Gyurta and Higl won without beating world records made their feats even more remarkable, especially as six still fell on Friday to bring the total at the championships to 35. The torrent of world records is largely down to performance-enhancing polyurethane suits, which governing body FINA has confirmed will be banned from January. The sport will return to textile only costumes and shorts for men in an attempt to salvage its battered image. Germany's Britta Steffen, who had bettered the 100m freestyle record in Sunday's 4x100m relay, smashed it again to win the women's final in 52.07 seconds. Another world record followed in the men's 200m backstroke final when America's Aaron Peirsol made up for his semifinal exit in the 100 to easily take gold in one minute 51.92. Two were then shattered in double-quick time with Dutchwoman Magdalena Veldhuis improving her previous fastest ever time in the first 50 butterfly semifinal only for Sweden's Therese Alshammar to go quicker in the second semi. The bubbly defending champion credited the magic of Rome for her 25.07 swim rather than a suit. The crowd only had a championship record to cheer in the men's 50 freestyle semifinals when France's Frederick Bousquet qualified quickest, but the world record graphic was back on the giant scoreboard before too long. Serbia's Milorad Cavic burst through the open air pool at the venue for the 1960 Olympics in just 50.01 in the 100 butterfly semifinals, beating Michael Phelps' US trials record of 50.22 from earlier this month. US retains waterpolo gold Kelly Rulon scored the winner with a penalty shot to give the United States a 7-6 win over Canada and the waterpolo women's gold medal at the aquatics world championships on Friday. In the bronze medal match, Russia edged out Greece 10-9 with Ekaterina Prokofyeva scoring three goals from three shots. The men's competition concludes on Saturday with Serbia taking on Spain in the final after the US and Croatia do battle for third place.
