Kitajima’s revenge

Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima settled an old score with US rival Brendan Hansen with an emphatic victory in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke final on Monday.

Kitajima’s relationship with Hansen has been frosty since he was accused of using an illegal dolphin kick when he captured the 100-200 breaststroke Olympic double in Athens in 2004.

The 25-year-old from Tokyo ended the argument at the Water Cube, clocking 58.91 seconds, smashing Hansen’s world record, and becoming the first man to win the event twice.

European champion Alexander Dale Oen of Norway was second in 59.20 and Frenchman Hugues Duboscq clocked 59.37 for the bronze.

More drama

There was plenty more drama in the pool, as Rebecca Adlington won Britain’s first Olympic women’s swimming title in nearly half a century with a last-gasp victory in the 400 freestyle.

Australia’s Libby Trickett overcame an attack of nerves to claim gold in the women’s 100 butterfly. “Before the race I felt as if I was going to vomit I was that nervous,” she said.

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe broke the women’s swimming 100 metres backstroke world record in the semi-finals.