Ervin inflicts Thorpe's first defeat

American Anthony Ervin ended Ian Thorpe's golden run at the world swimming championships on Friday when he won the 100 metres freestyle final and the Australian finished out of the medals.

Ervin, crowned 50 metre freestyle champion earlier in the meet, upstaged both Thorpe and Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband by setting a fierce pace from the start and leading at the turn in 22.60 seconds.

Van den Hoogenband closed in on the return length but could not quite catch the American, although the Dutchman was initially shown as first on the electronic scoreboard when no time came up for Ervin.

The scoreboard eventually showed the American had won in a championship record 48.33, with Van den Hoogenband taking the silver in 48.43 and Sweden's Lars Frolander bronze in 48.79 a day after winning the 100 metres butterfly gold.

Thorpe had to settle for fourth place in 48.81.

Thorpe won four golds and broken three world records earlier in the week, beating Van den Hoogenband in Wednesday's 200 metres freestyle final.