HONGKONG. Apr 3: Dutch swimmer Inge de Bruijn ended American .Jenny Thompson's winning

streak at the World Short-Course Championships Saturday night, edging her by .22 second in the 50-metre freestyle, reports AP.

Thompson had won the 100-metre freestyle and 50-metre butterfly and broken her own world record in the 100-metre individual medley before de Bruiin overtook her in the second half of the race and won the 50 freestyle in 24.35 seconds.

Thompson was second in 24.57. with Britain's Alison Sheppard third in 24.97.

World record holder Sandra Voelker of Germany spoiled Japanese swimmer Mai Nakamura's attempt for a second gold medal here, overtaking her in the final few meters of the 50-meter backstroke.

Voelker's 27.63 was slower than her world mark of 27.27. Nakamura, winner of the 100 ’ backstroke Friday, finished in 27.73. with Australia's Kellie McMillan third in 28.29.

Other world record holders who won were Britain’s James Hickman in the men’s 200-me-tre butterfly and Finland's Jani • Sievinen in the men's 100-metre individual medley.

But record holder Claudia Poll of Costa Rica could manage only sixth in the women's 400-nietre freestyle.

Russia's Nadejda Chemezova overtook 800-metre winner Chen Hua of China after a tight duel over the first 250 metres and won in 4 minutes. 5.23 seconds. Chen finished second, but later was disqualified for a false start, leaving China's Qin Caini second in 4:06.34 and Canada's Joanne Malar third in 4:06.34. Poll finished in 4:10.40. well off her world mark of 4:00.03. set in 1997.

Thompson dropped out of further competition in the 100-metre individual medley after breaking her own world record with a time of 59.30 in the heats Friday.

Slovakia’s Martina Morav-cova. who held the world mark briefly at 1:00.35 before Thompson reclaimed it minutes later, won that event's final Saturday in 1:00.20. Australia's Lori Munz was second in 1:01.40. followed by Russia's Oxana Verevka in 1:01.55.

Thompson still has a chance for another gold Sunday in the 100-metre outterfly. one of three events in which she holds the short-course world record. In Saturday’s semifinals, she was fourth fastest in 59.08. behind Sweden's Johanna Sjoberg (57.78). Japan's Ayari Aoyama (58.57) and Australia's Petria Thomas (58.83). Her world mark is 56.90.

"I felt pretty good about my swim." Thompson said despite her silver medal in the 50 freestyle. "Inge deserved that. She's really good in the 50."

Thompson, who swam five races Friday and another five Saturday, set her World record — worth 15.000 dollars — in Friday's second race.

"The money had something to do with it." the 26-year-old pre-medical student said. "I wanted to try and break the world record. It's pretty hard with all the semifinals to be fresh. It wears me down.

'The money does change it a bit." she said of the world record rewards being offered for the first time at these championships by FINA. swimming's governing body.

Patrik Isaksson gave Sweden its third gold of the meet when he won the men's 100-metre breaststroke, but Sweden's women missed a sweep of the freestyle relay races when they were disqualified for an early

takeoff in the 4x100.

The Swedes were fastest in 3:36.05. but the gold went to Britain with a time of 3:36.88. The Netherlands was second in 3:39.40 and Australia third in 3:39.82.

Isaksson won his race in 59.69. ahead of the 59.88 of Domenico Fioravanti of Italy and 59.93 of Canada's Morgan Knabe.

Hickman was unchallenged in winning the 200 butterfly in 1:52.71. behind his world mark of 1:51.76.

Japan’s Takashi Yamamoto was second in 1:54.68. and Ukraine's Denya Sylantyev • third in 1:55.41.

’Hickman, who managed only third Friday in the 100 butterfly, where lie also holds the world mark, said. "In the past couple of days. I've been very up and down. The whole of Thursday night. I was up sick.”

By Saturday, he added. "I was rested and I kept my head down, I’m quite pleased about that right ow."

Sievinen beat Australia's Matthew Dunn, the 400-metre champion. 54.18 to 54.77 in the 100 medley,’ with Denmark's Jakob Anderson third in 55.05.

On Sunday. Sweden's Lars Frolander. already the 100 butterfly champion, will try to hold off Australia's Michael Klim in the 100 freestyle finals. Frolander was fastest in Saturday's semifinals in 47.49. with Klim second in 47.90.

Japan's Masami Tanaka tries Sunday for her third gold medal, in the women's 100-breaststroke. She already has won the 50 and 200 — where she broke the world record — but she trailed Olympic Champion Penny Heyns of South Africa 1:06.95 to 1:07.24 in Saturday's 100-meter semifinals, with world record holder Samantha Riley of Australia third in 1:07.25.