SWIMMING/World Championships:Alexander Popov proved himself still the master of old when he won the 100 metres freestyle for an historic third time and stole the spotlight from two world record breakers at the world swimming championships in Barcelona , Spain, yesterday.

Popov saw off his younger rivals in a thrilling race, beating Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband and the mighty Ian Thorpe to regain the title he won back in 1994 and 1998 and become at 31 the oldest long-course swimming champion.

Popov led by a whisker from Van den Hoogenband at 50 metres, turning inside world record schedule at 23.05 to the Dutchman's 23.12, with Thorpe, always off the pace on the first length, back in eighth and last place.

The Russian, winner of the 100 freestyle at two Olympics and two world championships in the 1990s, held his slender advantage down the return length to win by 0.26 seconds in 48.42, his fastest major championship victory ever.

Van den Hoogenband, beaten by Thorpe in Tuesday's 200 freestyle final, had to settle for a second silver in 48.68, while Thorpe came through for the bronze in 48.77 to add to the three golds he had won in the first four days of the championships.

Russian-born Nina Zhivanevskaya brought hosts Spain their first-ever world championship gold when she won the 50 metres backstroke by a wafer-thin 0.02 seconds from Ilona Hlavackova of the Czech Republic in 28.48.

Australia's Elka Graham collapsed on the medal podium and had to be carried away after her team received their silver medals for the women's 4x200 metres freestyle relay yesterday.

Graham had collapsed during training with an irregular heart beat and low blood pressure last month and was forced to withdraw but later got a last-minute reprieve after a second opinion.

An Australian team official said Graham had suffered from light-headedness, but was now reported to be "fine".