KEY POINTS:
Auckland swimmer Orinoco Faamausili-Banse bounced off his hospital bed to hand New Zealand a third title at the world junior championships in Mexico today.
Faamausili-Banse, 17, won 50m freestyle final at Monterrey, breaking the New Zealand Open record in the process and setting a championship record.
The Laser Mt Eden club swimmer won in 22.37 seconds which broke the previous national open record of 22.51 that he held jointly with fellow Beijing Olympian Mark Herring.
His victory follows fellow Aucklander Daniel Bell's wins in the 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly.
The win was more remarkable after Faamausili-Banse was hospitalised earlier in the week after feeling dizzy and shaking following the heats of the relay.
He was fastest in his heat in 22.76sec and reduced this to 22.71sec in finishing third fastest in the semifinal.
He was in charge in the final, making a strong start and winning the final from Italy's Luca Dotto by 3/10ths of a second.
"It's pretty awesome. I just wanted to swim fast today," Faamausili-Banse said.
"I had swum well in the semifinals but not as fast as I wanted. My coach Glenn Hamblyn helped me to relax more and things went well."
Faamausili-Banse said the team was on a high following Bell's two gold medals which had been his inspiration in the final today.
He felt well after the health scare earlier in the week.
" I could not stop shaking and I had pins and needles in my hands.
"And I felt a bit dizzy, so they decide to put me into hospital.
"I was put on antibiotics because they thought it was an infection and I have come right quickly."
His main aim now was the 100m freestyle tomorrow, the event he will swim in the relay at Beijing next month.
"I really want to go fast and get another personal best so I can show the rest of the relay team that it's all on for Beijing."
Bell put himself in contention for a third medal when he won his semifinal of the 50m butterfly today.
He clocked a personal best 23.77sec which was a new championship record and a new national age group record.
Earlier, Wellington's Ellen Quirke finished 13th fastest in the heats of the 200m individual medley while the men's team of Kurt Bassett, Kane Radford, Shane Patience and Bell were ninth fastest in the 4x200m freestyle relay to just miss out on a place in the final.
The championships continue until Monday.
New Zealand results from the fourth day of the world youth swimming championships in Mexico:
Finals:
50m freestyle: Orinoco Faamausili-Banse (NZ) 22.37sec 1 (championship and NZ Open record); Luca Dotto (Italy) 22.63 2; Luca Leonardi (Italy) 22.70 3.
Semifinals:
50m butterfly: Daniel Bell (NZ) 23.77, 1 (championship and NZ age record); Ivan Lendjer (Serbia) 23.98, 2; James Doolan (Britain) 24.35 3.
200m individual medley: Ellen Quirke (NZ) 2min 20.19 13.
4x200m freestyle relay: New Zealand (K Bassett, K Radford, S Patience, D Bell) 7:35.51 9.
- NZPA
