China's Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan failed to defend her title in the women's 50-meter breaststroke event at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Montreal.

Luo entered the final with 31.45 seconds and finished only 7th in Sunday's competition.

Jade Edmintston of Australia won the gold medal with a new world record of 30.45.

In other competitions of the day, China's Zhu Yingwen earned a bronze with a time of 24.91 in the women's 50m freestyle.

China ranks third on the medal tally with a total of five gold, five silver and seven bronze medals. The United States becomes the big winner with 17 golds, 15 silvers and five bronzes.

(CIR August 1, 2005)