Australia has won the 100 metres freestyle double at the world short course championships in Melbourne, with Kyle Chalmers also collecting a second gold medal with an outstanding relay leg for the host nation.
Chalmers and Emma McKeon topped the podium in their respective sprint events, both winning an individual world short course title for the first time in their careers.
A barnstorming finish saw Chalmers touch the wall first in the men's 100m freestyle final, winning in a championship record of 45.16 seconds.
France's Maxime Grousset (45.41) was second and Italian Alessandro Miressi (45.57) placed third, while long-course world record holder, Romanian teen David Popovici, finished one spot outside the medals in 45.64.
Chalmers later anchored the Australian men's 4x50m freestyle relay team to gold, having produced a breathtaking final leg to overhaul Italy to win by just 0.04 in a time of 1:23.44.
Isaac Cooper led the Australian team out with Matt Temple and Flynn Southam following, before Chalmers hit the water in fifth place.
But Chalmers mowed down the field with a split of 20.34.
Owner of 11 Olympic medals, including five gold, McKeon could not be denied in the women's 100m freestyle final, holding off Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey to win in 50.77, which was a championship record.
Haughey challenged McKeon in the final lap before finishing 0.10 behind the Australian, while Dutch swimmer Marrit Steenbergen (51.25) took the bronze medal.
McKeon's fellow Australian Madi Wilson (51.70) was fourth.
"It was a tight finish. I didn't realise until way after the race because I couldn't see anything," McKeon told the Nine Network.
"To get my hand on the first is what you want."
McKeon and Wilson later teamed up as members of the Australian women's 4x50m freestyle relay team, who picked up silver behind the United States.
Earlier in the meet, McKeon produced a blistering leg in the 4x100m freestyle relay final, becoming the first woman to post a sub-50-second split as she helped Australia win gold in a world-record time.
Among other results on Thursday night, Australia's Thomas Neill produced a gutsy effort to claim silver in the men's 400m freestyle final.
Neill swam 3:35.05, with Kieran Smith of the US topping the podium in 3:34.38. Danas Rapšys of Lithuania was third in 3:36.26, while Melburnian Mack Horton was sixth in 3:37.94.
Australia's Elizabeth Dekkers was third in the women's 200m butterfly final in a time of 2:03.94, with US pair Dakota Luther (2:03.37) Hali Flickinger (2:03.78) winning gold and silver respectively.
Australia has won eight golds, four silver and three bronze medals so far in Melbourne to sit second behind the US (nine gold) on the overall tally.
ABC/AAP
