KHIEW Hoe Yean fell short in his attempt at a second national record in his last event at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest today.
The Hanoi Sea Games gold medallist had two top American title contenders in the shape of world short course reigning champion Shaine Casas and four-time Olympic gold medallist Ryan Murphy in Heat 4 of the men's 200m backstroke.
But it did not lift him to greater heights as he finished eighth in 2:03.12s for 24th position overall.
Casas won the heat in 1:56.66, followed by Australia's Joshua Edwards-Smith (1:56.85) and Murphy (1:56.96), with all three qualifying for the top-16 semi-finals.
Hoe Yean's time was slower than his 2:01.67 en route to taking silver in Hanoi.
His national record stands at 2:00.80, achieved last year at the Malaysian Open.
However, it was still an excellent campaign for the rising star after a fairly impressive campaign in Budapest.
He enjoyed a superb start when he erased Welson Sim's national record of 3:49.29 by clocking 3:48.72 in the 400m freestyle last Saturday.
The KL-born also won his heat in the 200m freestyle in 1:48.37 to finish 27th overall.