could manage no better than seventh place in the second of eight heats in the 100 metres butterfly.

A day after a disappointing performance in the 200m Individual Medley, the 22-year-old again failed to dip under his own national record.

His time of 56.46 seconds was 15 hundredths of a second outside his PB of 56.31 and left him nine tenths of a second behind heat winner Janko Gojkovic of Bosnia (55.55). Fahy had entered these Games full of confidence after a series of promising training sessions under his US coach Frank Keefe.

Earlier this week he had been optimistic of cracking both his own IM and butterfly national records, while admitting it would still be a tall order to advance to an Olympic semi-final.

As it was, both of his efforts fell short and, yesterday at least, Fahy was at a loss to explain his sudden drop in form.

Following today's heat, Fahy again made a hurried return to the Games Village, reflecting on a short and not particularly sweet Olympic experience.

However, he intends to stay in Sydney until the end of the Games after which he plans a tour of Australia.

SWIMMING SW