Aussies on a high as Libby heads home with spoils

Libby Lenton and the triumphant Australia team returned from the world short course championships yesterday confident they are in good shape for their return to China for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Competing without Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett, as close to medal certainties as it is possible to get in swimming, the Australians topped the standings in Shanghai with 12 golds, nine silvers and four bronze.

In Lenton's luggage along with her five gold and single silver medal was the trophy for the best female swimmer of the championships.

It has been quite a couple of months for the 21-year-old Queenslander who competed in the Australian nationals and scooped five golds and two silvers at last month's Commonwealth Games.

"I am just so happy that it is all over, it is such a relief to be finished racing," Lenton said after her final race, a thrilling victory over Swedish record holder Therese Alshammar in the 50m freestyle.

Lenton was ably supported by her team-mates, 19-year-old Jessicah Schipper claiming the 200 'fly crown, 24-year-old Jade Edmistone the 50 breaststroke and the more experienced Brooke Hanson winning the 100 individual medley.

Add in the 4x200 freestyle and 4x100 medley golds as well as the absence of top breaststroker Leisel Jones and Australia's confidence that they are building a women's team with huge potential for success in Beijing in 2008 looks justified.

The men's team managed to deflect some of the criticism they attracted after a poor display at the Commonwealths.

Matt Welsh ended a three-year title drought by grabbing three individual golds and leading off the victorious 4x100 medley team in the final event of the championships.

The 29-year-old from Melbourne lost out to Ryan Lochte for best male swimmer of the championships, the American winning three golds and setting world records in the 200 medley and 200 backstroke.

Lochte was the standout for Australia's traditional arch-rivals in the pool and the Americans finished second in the medals table with six gold, seven silver and eight bronze despite being without top men Michael Phelps and Aaron Peirsol.