GOLD COAST TEEN CHASING WORLD CUP GOLD IN SYDNEY

SYDNEY, October 25: Australia's newest teenage swim star Ellen Fullerton has dominated the opening heats session of the Sydney FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup, presented by Telstra, at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, today. Brooke Hanson reports poolside...

It follows her Telstra Australian Short Course campaign in Melbourne last month when she won four gold medals and broke two Australian records.

Fullerton has continued that success qualifying fastest for tonight's finals of the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

The 15-year-old from Miami on the Gold Coast, will swim from lane four in tonight's final of the 200m freestyle after qualifying first in a time of 1.58.89 ahead of Kira Volodina (Russia) 1.59.96 and Australia's Olympic gold medallist in the 4x200 freestyle relay Bronte Barratt 2.00.32.

In the 200m individual medley she swam a comfortable 2.13.86, almost a second ahead of Natalie Wiegersma (New Zealand) 2.14.76 and Svetlana Karpeeva (Russia) 2.14.82.

With $US1,500.00 as prize money for the winner of each event, this weekend could certainly boost the 15-year-old's bank account as well as showing the world that she's ready to be taken seriously.

International star Oussama Mellouli, Tunisia's first Olympic swimming gold medallist in the 1500m freestyle, had a relaxing start to his Sydney World Cup campaign.

Mellouli has qualified third fastest final of the 400m freestyle and second for the 100m individual medley. He will also contest the final of the 400m individual medley, which he has already won in Belo Horizonte and Durban.

You can bet that this morning Mellouli was conserving his energy for tonight's finals but he won't have it all his own way with Australian champion Robert Hurley still in great form after wining five gold medals in Melbourne last month.

Other events to watch out for are the:

Men's 50m butterfly

Australian All-Comers record holder Matt Jaukovic, one of the finds of the Telstra Australian Short Course Championships in Melbourne last month, clocked a smart time of 23.00 to head the qualifiers for tonight's final, ahead of another rising star Garth Kates (23.57) and Sweden's nine-time World Short Course medallist Stefan Nystrand (23.75).

Men's 200m butterfly

All eyes will be on Nick D'Arcy tonight as he races in his first final since losing his position on the 2008 Olympic team. D'Arcy has qualified second fastest in the men's 200m butterfly, swimming a time of 1.56.23, just behind Australian short course champion, Chris Wright 1.56.14.

After his race D'Arcy said: "I felt weird in the marshalling area but once I was behind the blocks everything came together, the swim was quicker than I expected and I'm happy with that; I want to swim well for my parents, my family, friends, supporters, coach and of course for myself."

Men's 50m breaststroke

Olympic Silver medallist in the 100m breaststroke Brenton Rickard made an impressive return to competition qualifying fastest for tonight's final in the 50m breaststroke in a time of 27.99, just 0.06 ahead of Olympic team mate Christian Sprenger 28.05.

Sprenger is currently leading the overall World Cup points score worth $US100,000 to the winner after his four wins in the two opening rounds.

Women's 100m butterfly

Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom (58.70) qualified fastest for tonight's final ahead of Daynara De Paula from Brazil (59.07) and Marieke Guehrer Australia (59.94). Guehrer is currently leading the women's overall World Cup points score after a great start to her World Cup campaign in Brazil and South Africa.

Women's 50m freestyle

Marieke Guehrer will also contest the final of the women's 50m freestyle after qualifying third in 25.22. The girl to beat will be 16-year-old Olympic bronze medallist Cate Campbell who is the fastest qualifier in 24.12. Campbell won this event at the Telstra Australian Short Course last month in a time of 23.98.

Women's 50m backstroke

Olympic gold medallist Emily Seebohm made a great start to her first major competition since Beijing qualifying fastest in the women's 50m backstroke in a time of 27.74, ahead of the Australian Short Course champion Amy Cockerton (28.01). The only international in the field is Brazil's Fabiola Molina (28.11) who qualified third fastest. Molina has won the 50m backstroke at the first two World Cups in Brazil and South Africa and will want another win tonight.

Men's 100m freestyle

World record holder Stefan Nystrand from Sweden is the fastest qualifier for tonight's blue ribbon final after a clocking a comfortable heat time of 48.37. Nystrand's underwater skills paid off as he moved further away from his competitors after every turn. Nystrand will have Beijing Olympians Ashley Delaney and Nick Ffrost and pushing him all the way. Australia's new breed of sprinters also looked strong. Australian Short Course silver medallist Mitchell Patterson (48.73) will swim in lane five and Matthew Abood 48.91 from lane three.