SINGAPORE'S Tao Li, who finished 5th in the 100 metre butterfly finals on Monday, said she was not disappointed with her timing of 57.99 seconds.

The 18-year-old student of the Singapore Sports School told The Straits Times shortly after the race, in which she said she 'gave her best', that she still holds the Asian record of 57.54 sec which she clocked in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The 1.6 m national swimmer was fourth-fastest of 16 girls in the semi-finals, out-racing 12 women who, on average, were 15 cm taller than her.

Asked if she was disappointed with her performance in the finals, which was won by Australia's Libby Trickett in 56.73 secs, Tao Li said: 'If I have have given another personal best, it would not have gotten me a medal'.

'The top three winners were just too good'.

Tao Li said she was tired after two days of swimming.

'I wanted to do my best and I pushed all the way and hoped for the best', she said.

In the final race, Trickett was under world-record pace at the turn, but she finished in 56.73 seconds - just 0.12 off the word record.

Christine Magnuson of the United States was second in 57.10, while another Aussie, Jess Schipper, took bronze in 57.25.