Australian Ian Thorpe broke his own 400m freestyle world record in the final at the world swimming championships today, touching in 3:40.17.
His previous mark was 3:40.59. It was the 14th world record Thorpe has set, 10 of them in the 50m pool.
"I'm very happy to win the race. It went very well. I've got six more events. It was a great start to the meet," he said.
"This is my 10th (long course) world record, the 400m is the most important race for me," he said. "It's the first race I made the national team with.
"I became world champion in this event and I broke the world record and became Olympic champion in this."Now I've been able to defend my crown here."
Fellow Australian Grant Hackett took silver and Italian Emiliano Brembilla the bronze.
Hackett swam a 3:42.51, his best time ever and bettered only by Thorpe. Brembilla clocked 3:45.11.
It was the same one-two from the last world championships in Perth in 1998.
The 'Thorpedo' is unbeaten over the distance since Perth and said before the race that a personal best in his favourite event was his aim.
He will also race the 100m, 200m and 800m and the three relay events.