A disappointed Moss Burmester has missed out on making the final in the 200 metres butterfly at the World Swimming Championships in Rome.
Burmester, 24, finished sixth in his semifinal in 1:55.35, more than a second outside the Commonwealth record he set at the Trials earlier this year.
A bitterly disappointed Burmester had earlier cruised into the semis after a controlled effort in his heat, clocking 1:56.03, similar to his heat time at the Olympics in Beijing where he finished fourth in the final.
He was second after the first 50 metres of the second semi but was unable to pick up the pace in the back half of the race, from which five swimmers qualified for for tomorrow's final.
Japan's Matsuda Takeshi was the fastest qualifier, winning the first semifinal from Beijing champion Michael Phelps with Burmester 11th fastest.
Earlier a New Zealand record was not quite enough for Glenn Snyders to qualify for the semifinals in the 50 breaststroke.
Tomorrow Hayley Palmer swims in heats of the 100m freestyle, Kurt Bassett in the 200m backstroke and Snyders in the 200m breaststroke.
