KEY POINTS:
New Zealand swimmer Hannah McLean has missed out on a place in the 100m backstroke final at the world championships after her semifinal at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena last night. McLean, the Commonwealth record-holder, was seventh in the second semifinal to finish 15th overall and miss out on a top-eight spot for tonight's final.
Competing in the outside lane, McLean went through the first 50m last in 30.12 and finished with in 1min 01.80 seconds, nearly a second outside her Commonwealth record, set in Melbourne last year.
The race was won by Australian Emily Seebohm, who clocked 1min 00.51sec.
McLean, 25, was 12th fastest qualifier for the semifinal, but could not repeat her effort of two years ago when she reached the final in Montreal.
She had broken the New Zealand 100m freestyle record in the relay earlier yesterday and head coach Jan Cameron said: "Hannah was very capable of making the final, but there was none of her usual verve and energy. The swim looked quite mechanical.
"She has swum faster in training. It was a very hot field out there and perhaps the nerves got to her. It looked a very nervous swim."
McLean was not the only favoured swimmer to miss out - with former world record-holder Kirsty Coventry, from Zimbabwe, only seventh in the first semifinal.
New Zealand hopes today lie with Commonwealth Games finalist Moss Burmester in his favoured event, the 200m butterfly, and Dunedin's Andrew McMillan.
- NZPA
