Swimming-Marathon man Wellbrock eyes 1,500 gold, Meilutyte fastest in 50 breaststroke

Aug 2 (Reuters) - German iron man Florian Wellbrock will look to add to his bumper haul of gold medals from the world championships in Singapore after qualifying fastest for the 1,500 metres freestyle final on Saturday.

The 27-year-old swept all before him in the open water programme last month, becoming the first swimmer to win all three individual events while helping Germany claim the team gold at Sentosa Island.

Having moved to the pool, Wellbrock posted a time of 14:44.81 in the 1,500 to top a quality field including Tunisia's 800 champion Ahmed Jaouadi, who was 0.14 seconds behind.

Bobby Finke, the American back-to-back Olympic champion, and Australian Sam Short will also be medal threats in a mouth-watering final on the final day of competition on Sunday.

Defending champion Daniel Wiffen, Ireland's first male world medallist in swimming, was forced to withdraw from the event due to ongoing effects of appendicitis he suffered in June.

In the women's 50 breaststroke, world record holder Ruta Meilutyte is eyeing back-to-back titles after finishing fastest in the heats.

Thirteen years after winning the Olympic 100 gold at the London Games aged 15, the Lithuanian showed she is still a force in the shorter distance with a time of 29.82, the only sub-30 swim at the World Aquatics Championships Arena.

Eastern Europe was well represented in the 50-metres events in the morning session, with Russian short course world record-holder Kliment Kolesnikov, competing as a neutral athlete, fastest in the backstroke heats with a time of 24.08.

Russian athletes are allowed to take part in World Aquatics events under a neutral banner on condition they have not publicly supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine and have no affiliation to the Russian military.

South African Pieter Coetze, who was second quickest in 24.36, is bidding for a third backstroke medal of the meet after winning the 100 and taking silver in the 200.

Paris Olympics silver medallist Meg Harris of Australia qualified fastest for the women's 50 freestyle semi-finals in a time of 24.32, 0.07 seconds ahead of Dutch sprinter Milou Van Wijk.

Dutchwoman Marrit Steenbergen, who upset Mollie O'Callaghan on Friday to successfully defend her 100 freestyle title, also eased through.

The U.S. qualified fastest (3:21.48) for the final of the non-Olympic mixed 4x100 freestyle relay ahead of France and the Netherlands.

Australia were bundled out in the heats, though, in a shock for the swimming powerhouse which holds the world record and finished runner-up to China last year with a second-string team.

Later on Saturday, American great Katie Ledecky and Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh will battle for the women's 800 freestyle gold in one of six titles on offer on the penultimate day of the meet.

Australian Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown will look to add the 200 backstroke title to her 100 crown and deny American rival Regan Smith in the final once again.