But, in the same pool that will be used during next year's Commonwealth Games, Europe are on course to break that trend after registering a 68-54 lead at the halfway point of the two-day meeting

Star of the day was London 2012 silver medallist Jamieson who, after recovering from a heart scare during a training session last month, stormed home to take 200 metre breaststroke victory in 2min 01.84sec ahead of German teammate Marco Koch, who Jamieson also beat last week on route to a silver medal at the European Short-course Championships in Herning.

The top US swimmer Kevin Cordes could only place third, although it was Europe's women who contributed most to their opening day lead.

Europe finished the day on a high with victory in the women's medley relay ©Getty Images


Leading the way was Spain's Mireia Belmonte, who has set short course world records over 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle this year, when she won the 400m individual medley in the opening race of the event.

Belmonte then added a second victory in the 400m freestyle, ahead of fellow Spaniard Melani Costa and Denmark's Lotte Friis in a European clean sweep, with the US world champion Katie Ledecky well adrift in sixth place.

Sweden's Michelle Coleman won the 100m freestyle, Ukraine's Daryna Zevina claimed top points in the 200m backstroke and another Dane in Jeanette Ottesen touched first over 100 butterfly.

Ottesen returned at the end of the session to join Britain's Fran Halsall, the Netherlands Moniek Nijhuis and Czech Republic's Simona Baumrtova to win again in the medley relay.

France's world champion Yannick Agnel ensured the men did not miss out when he led home British teammate Adam Brown for a surprise victory in his less favoured 100m freestyle.

France's 400m freestyler Yannick Agnel was another opening day winner for Europe
©Getty Images