Dhaka, Oct. 12 -- Australian Kaylee McKeown clocked a sizzling 25.42sec to win the women's 50m backstroke at the World Cup (WC) short course meeting in Carmel, Indiana, on Friday.

McKeown, a five-time Olympic gold medallist who claimed a backstroke double at this year's World Championships in Singapore, led an Aussie one-two ahead of Mollie O'Callaghan.

World record-holder Regan Smith opted out of a clash with rival McKeown in the 50m back and instead delivered a stellar performance in the 200m butterfly, winning in an American record of 2:00.28. Hungarian Olympic gold medallist Hubert Kos fended off French superstar Leon Marchand to win the men's 200m backstroke in 1:46.84.

Marchand, who trains with Kos under coach Bob Bowman in Texas...