Popov beats conqueror Pilczuk

Alexander Popov gained a measure of belated revenge over Bill Pilczuk when he beat the American, who took his world championship title nearly three years ago, in a World Cup 50 metres freestyle on Saturday.

Popov suffered the first major championship defeat of his illustrious career when Pilczuk pipped him in the 50 freestyle final at the world long-course championships in Perth, Australia, in January 1998.

The Australian-based Russian, who turned 29 last month, subsequently lost his two Olympic crowns at the Sydney Games in September, having completed golden doubles in the 50 and 100 freestyle at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Games.

Popov finished second to Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband in the 100 freestyle in Sydney and sixth in the 50 freestyle which was won jointly by Anthony Ervin and Gary Hall, the Americans who had kept Pilczuk out of the event when the world champion was only fourth-fastest at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Popov clocked 22.18 seconds to win Saturday's 50 freestyle final by more than half a second on the second day of the fourth World Cup meeting of the 10-venue series.

Pilczuk was second in 22.69 and fellow American Scott Tucker third in 22.72.

Popov had won the 100 freestyle on Friday in 49.11 as he made his return to international competetion after his Olympic defeats.

Slovakia's Martina Moravcova, who won Friday's 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly but had to settle for second in the 50 freestyle, gained a clearcut victory in Saturday's 100 freestyle in 54.35 from China's Yang Yu (55.45).

The next of the two-day World Cup meetings begins in Melbourne on Tuesday.