The other man of the day was Peter Marshall (USA), who bettered the World Record of the 100m backstroke. Marshall touched the wall in 49.94, improving the best mark set by his compatriot Ryan Lochte at the 2006 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Shanghai (CHN) with 49.99. Curiously, and before Lochte, Marshall was also the world record holder in this distance after a 50.32 effort in 2004. Robert Hurley (AUS), who established a new World Cup record (50.28) in the distance in Singapore was third in 51.01, behind Randall Bal (USA) in 50.30.

Also in the men’s field, and in one of the most expected finals of the day, the 100m free, the Olympic champion Alain Bernard (FRA) made his comeback with the seventh time of the heats, and in the decisive race he was clearly beaten by the local hero Stefan Nystrand. The Swede clocked 46.03 in a race that he dominated from the starting blocks – at the 50m-mark he was 0.02 under the World Record pace – and got his fourth win (the fastest) in this event throughout the World Cup series. Moreover, it was his 11th medal of this competition (including six gold – Nystrand participated in every leg of the 2008 World Cup). Lyndon Ferns (RSA) was second in 47.02, while Bernard arrived in third with a time of 47.04.  

In the 400m individual medley, Oussama Mellouli (TUN), winner in the first five meets of the series, decided to skip this distance and the first touching the wall was Chris Christensen (DEN) in 4:11.47 (the second worse time in the six legs of the circuit).

But in the 400m free, the Tunisian Olympic champion was once more in great shape, winning his 23rd gold medal of the series in 3:38.42. It was the fifth consecutive triumph of Mellouli in this distance (in Belo Horizonte he was silver medallist), with the fastest time so far in this World Cup. Mellouli continued his saga in the 100m individual medley with a thrilling win in 52.78. Third after the first 50m, the Tunisian made an incredible freestyle leg and got his second triumph in this event (he was also gold medallist in Sydney).

In the 50m butterfly, Matt Jaukovic (AUS) got his fourth consecutive victory in the event, touching first in 22.85. The Australian had improved the world record of this distance in Sydney with a time of 22.50.

Among women, and in the 800m free, Lotte Friis (DEN), the bronze medallist of this event at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (CHN) easily won with the best time of the series so far – 8:14.99.

The Swedish duel between Petra Granlund and Josefin Lillhage in the 200m free was won by the younger of the two competitors (Granlund) in a time of 1:54.77 (the fastest of this World Cup). Lillhage – winner in Belo Horizonte (RSA), Durban (RUS) and Moscow (RUS) – was second in 1:55.37, getting her 10th medal of the current series.

Li Tao, of Singapore (the first swimmer of this country to swim in an Olympic final at the 2008 Games in Beijing), got her second win of the series in the 100m butterfly. At home (at the fourth meet of the circuit), she had clocked 56.85; in Stockholm, she was 0.02 slower.

In the 200m individual medley (and after her bronze in the 800m free), Katheryn Meaklim (RSA) obtained her 22nd medal of the series, after touching first in 2:09.54 (the fastest time so far in the six legs of the circuit). The South African had already triumphed in this event at the first four meets of the World Cup and has now a total of 15 gold medals.

In the shortest event of the programme, the 50m free, the local star Therese Alshammar could not beat Marieke Guehrer (AUS) and finished second in 24.32 against Guehrer’s 24.25. It was the first win for the Australian in this event, while Alshammar had triumphed in Durban, Singapore and Moscow.

Melissa Ingram (NZL) got her eighth gold medal of the circuit by winning the 200m backstroke in 2:04.88. Ingram clocked faster (2:04.75) in Sydney but accumulates five consecutive wins in this event.

The best three performers of this first day in Stockholm were:
Men
Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) – 50m breaststroke – 25.94 (WR) – 1073 points
Peter Marshall (USA) – 100m backstroke – 49.94 (WR) – 1032 points
Stefan Nystrand (SWE) – 100m free – 46.03 – 1028 points

Women
Sarah Katsoulis (AUS) – 100m breaststroke – 1:04.84 – 1004 points
Petra Granlund (SWE) – 200m free – 1:54.77 – 981 points
Lotte Friis (DEN) – 800m free – 8:14.99 – 979 points

Before the beginning of the competition, the FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu was awarded the Gold Medal of the Swedish Swimming Federation by its President Sven von Holst for outstanding contribution to the development of the aquatic sports.