Cate Campbell: Australian breaks short-course swim world record

Campbell clocked a new best time of 50.25 seconds on the opening day of the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships in Adelaide on Thursday evening.

Australia's Cate Campbell has returned to the pool with a bang, smashing the women's 100m freestyle short-course world record to eclipse the mark set by rival Swede Sarah Sjostrom in August.

Campbell clocked a new best time of 50.25 seconds on the opening day of the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships in Adelaide on Thursday evening.

It was a stunning return to form for the 25-year-old, who skipped the world championships in Budapest this year, as she powered away from fellow Olympic gold medal relay teammates, sister Bronte (52.91) and Emma McKeon (52.25).

"It’s exciting, it’s great to be swimming fast," said Campbell.

"I’ve put together some really good solid weeks of training and I’ve really been working hard."

Campbell said her break away from swimming had given her "a new love for the sport, a new perspective and I’m more motivated than ever".

"Sarah Sjostrom is swimming incredibly fast and watching her in Budapest, I was very pleased I didn't have to line up behind the blocks and race her then," she added.

"But I’m now feeling a little better about the possibility of racing her in the future again now."

Campbell also won the 50m butterfly while Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers made a successful comeback from heart surgery to win the men’s 100m freestyle.