SHANGHAI, April 5 - China took home gold,silver and bronze on the first day of the world short-course swimming championships in Shanghai on Wednesday.

Qi hui celebrates her win in the women's 400m individual medley event at the 8th FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships in Shanghai April 5, 2006. [Sina]

Qi Hui, the former world record holder in the 200m breaststroke, won gold in the women's 400m individual medley with a time of 4:34.28 minutes with Italy's Alessia Filippi the runner-up with 4:35.32 minutes.

The Chinese women's team had half the gold medal in their pocket during the 200m freestyle relay but were rallied by Australia inside the last three meters.

Australia was clocked at 7:46.96 minutes, with China trailing behind by 0.11 seconds. The US came in third.

China's first medal was from Yang Yu, who got the silver in the women's 200m butterfly with a time of 2:07.05 minutes. Chinese swimmer Li Xinhua ranked 7th.

Australian Jessicah Schipper's red-hot streak continued when she powered to gold in the event.Schipper picked up where she left off after a Commonwealth Games treble last month by setting a new championship record of 2:05.11

"I'm ecstatic to win my first individual world short-course championship," Schipper told reporters after the 200m butterfly final.

"I've backed up very well from the Commonwealth Games. I'm happy with the time, especially since it didn't hurt too much."

South Africa's Ryk Neethling recovered from a disappointing performance at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with victory in the men's 200m freestyle.

Neethling clocked 1:43.51 to edge out Italy's Filippo Magnini by 0.27 seconds.

Neethling's South African team mate Roland Schoeman was a late withdrawal from a Shanghai event already missing several top swimmers such as Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Michael Phelps.

Magnini followed his silver in the 200m freestyle by anchoring Italy to victory in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay.