SHANGHAI, China, July 31. JESSICA Hardy kicked off the final session of the FINA World Long Course Championships in impressive fashion with a dominant win in the women's 50 breast.

　　Hardy clocked a time of 30.19 to reclaim the world title in the event. She previously won the event in 2007, and this year beat out defending world champion and now training partner Yuliya Efimova for the gold. The win is Hardy's third medal in the last four world championships in the event. She also took silver in 2005.

　　The win was the beginning of a sprint double this evening, as Hardy still has the 50 free on her docket.

　　Efimova checked in with a silver-winning time of 30.49, while USA's Rebecca Soni gave Dave Salo and the Trojan Swim Club in California a podium sweep with a third-place 30.58. The sprint breast is the only weak part of Soni's arsenal, as she is the undisputed queen of the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. In 2009, Soni had finished runner-up to Efimova, while Australia's Sarah Katsoulis took third that year.

　　Australia's Leiston Pickett (30.74)， Sweden's Jennie Johansson (30.89)， Australia's Leisel Jones (31.01)， The Netherlands' Moniek Nijhuis (31.33) and Sweden's Rebecca Ejdervik (31.45) also swam in the finale.