Bernard sets world mark for third time in three days

Three days, three records.

Alain Bernard set a world record in the 50-meter freestyle Sunday, after twice lowering the 100 freestyle mark in the previous two days at the European swimming championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

The Frenchman finished in 21.50 seconds to beat the time of 21.56 set last month by Eamon Sullivan of Australia. Sullivan lowered Alexander Popov’s previous record of 21.64, set in Moscow on June 16, 2000.

“I had to stay calm for this semifinal,” Bernard said. “I had an excellent start, which is not that usual for me. Then I thought I had to exploit my fantastic shape here in Eindhoven. I put all my power on at 35 meters.”

Bernard set a world record of 47.50 seconds to win the 100 freestyle final Saturday. That took one-tenth of a second off the record of 47.60 he swam Friday in the semifinals, to shatter Pieter van den Hoogenband’s mark set at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

On Sunday, Bernard, 24, easily beat Stefan Nystrand of Sweden, who finished in 22.12 in their second semifinal to be third fastest into the final, which will be held today.

Russian teenager Anastasia Zueva won her second gold of the championships in the 50 backstroke in a European record, adding to her victory in the 100 backstroke -- also in a European-record time -- on Friday.

The 17-year-old Zueva’s time of 28.05 was well outside the world record set earlier in the day by Sophie Edington, who clocked 27.67 at the Australian Olympic trials in Sydney.

AUTO RACING

Raikkonen lifts Ferrari with Malaysian title

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the Malaysian Grand Prix and revived Formula One’s title series, setting up an expected season-long struggle with McLaren.

Raikkonen had moved ahead of pole-sitting teammate Felipe Massa after the first set of pit stops at Sepang and cruised to victory, 20 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica, with McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen an extra 19 seconds back in third.

Massa spun off on the 31st lap under no pressure while running in second place.

The McLaren pair of Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton started from eighth and ninth place after receiving five-grid-place penalties for causing interference in qualifying, and were never a threat to the Ferraris. Hamilton finished fifth.

WINTER SPORTS

Cook, Francis capture U.S. Alpine titles

Battling tough winds, Stacey Cook and Kevin Francis claimed the super G titles at the U.S. Alpine Championships in Carrabassett Valley, Maine.

Cook collected her second national title when she edged teammate Leanne Smith by five hundredths of a second. Cook also won the super G title on the same hill in 2006.

Megan McJames was third. World Cup overall champ Lindsey Vonn finished fourth.

MISCELLANY

Kraft finally wins on the PGA Tour

Greg Kraft, 44, won his first PGA Tour title by shooting a 70 to outlast Bo Van Pelt down the stretch, finishing 14 under par for a one-shot victory at the inaugural Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande.

Jerry Kelly (70), at No. 63 the highest-ranked golfer in the tournament, and Van Pelt (72) were second. Briny Baird (72) and Kevin Stadler (67) were another shot behind.

Kraft earned $630,000 -- more than he has made on the PGA Tour combined since 2003 -- and has secured playing privileges through 2010. He had played only two other tour events this season, his best finish being a tie for 19th at the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico.

Reigning world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore went from ninth to second on the ASP Women’s World Tour by rallying past Sofia Mulanovich in four- to six-foot waves to win the Rip Curl Women’s Pro at Bells Beach, Australia.

Gilmore, an Australian, trailed her Peruvian rival with five minutes left in the final, but unleashed a series of top turns and floaters in earning a score of 9.33 out of a possible 10 to move into the lead for good in the best-two-scores format.

It was a rematch of last year’s event final, also won by Gilmore, who went on to become a rookie champion.

Mulanovich, who won the world title in 2004, won the season’s first contest and her second-place finish at Bells was good enough for her to hold the ratings lead entering the third of eight tour events in July at Rio de Janeiro.

-- Pete Thomas