China's world champion Xu Jiayu lost to his old rival American Ryan Murphy in the men's 100m backstroke, while South African Cameron Van Der Burgh ended his career after winning a gold at the Fina Swimming Short-course Hangzhou Worlds on Wednesday.

Xu, world record holder of the 100m back, touched in 49.26 seconds, 0.03 second slower than the winner. The American led all the way to take the gold. Russia's Kliment Kolesnikov was third in 49.40.

Xu had lost to Murphy at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where he was also the runner-up.

"I'm sorry," said Xu, who was very disappointed. "I tried my best. I was too nervous that I almost cried before the final."

"I will try my best to make up for this regret at [the] Tokyo [Olympic Games] 2020 and having good performances in long course is really what I will aim at," added Xu, who was the gold hopeful of the event as he broke the world record one month ago at Swimming World Cup in Tokyo.

In the men's 100m breaststroke, 30-year-old London Olympic champion Van Der Burgh made a perfect end of his career by winning the event in 56.01. Ilya Shymanovich of Belarus trailed in 56.10, while the bronze went to Japan's Koseki Yasuhiro, who touched in 56.13.

It was Van Der Burgh's last race of his swimming career as he decided to announce his retirement on Wednesday.

“It means the world to me. It is my last race, so I am extremely happy. The world championship means a lot. It is the last one. It is sad but I am happy to end on a high,” he said.

"The last 25 meters was the most pain I have ever had in my life in swimming, so it was a good way to finish.

“It is funny how these things turn out. At least I have no loose ends to tie up or reason to come back.”

The United States showed their strength by winning five golds and breaking two world records.

They renewed the women's 4X50m medley relay world record to 1:42.38 and rewrote the mixed 4X50m freestyle relay world record to 1:27.89.

China took the silver in the women's 4X50m medley relay.

The United States also won the men's 200m free title as Blake Pieroni touched the wall in 1:41.49. Lithuania's Danas Rapsys and Australia's Alexander Graham took second and third respectively.

Olivia Smoliga brought the United States one more gold in the women's 100m back as she finished first in 56.19. Katinka Hosszu of Hungary trailed in 56.26, while Georgia Davies took a bronze for Britain in 56.74.

Hosszu, the Rio Olympic champion in 200m and 400m medley, dominated the 200m butterfly in 2:01.60.

Also on Wednesday, Jamaica's Alia Atkinson celebrated her 30th birthday with a gold medal from the 50m breaststroke with a time of 29.05. Lithuania's London Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte was second in 29.38, while Italy's Martina Carraro came third in 29.59.

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