Hall suspicious of Aussie Sullivan's world swim record

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

MELBOURNE (AFP) — Reigning Olympic champion Gary Hall Jnr says he is suspicious of Australian Eamon Sullivan's recent world record in the 50-metre freestyle.

The American raised doubts about Sullivan's rapid improvement to shave 0.08 seconds off Russian Olympic champion Alexander Popov's 2000 mark in a new record of 21.56 seconds in Sydney last month.

Hall, who is aiming to win a third straight Olympic 50m freestyle title in Beijing later this year, compared Sullivan's performance to that of drug cheats and says the public has every right to be suspicious of his swim.

"I am not accusing Eamon of cheating," Hall told Australian Associated Press by email Friday.

"I have been in this sport for a very long time and I have never seen such a drop in time...