The 22-year-old sealed his first individual short course world title in 2min 00.16sec, lowering a mark which had stood for two years.

Prigoda's time was one of two world records set on day three at the Hangzhou Olympic and International Expo Centre, with the other achieved by the United States mixed 4x50m medley relay team.

The Russian set the tone for another intriguing evening of action as his world record came in the first final of the evening.

Prigoda touched the wall 0.28sec quicker than the previous record of 2:00.44, set by German Marco Koch in November 2016.

Koch was on the podium as he took bronze in 2:01.42, finishing behind silver medallist Qin Haiyang of China.

"The 200 is my signature event in short course and I don't know, either I prepared correctly and analysed my mistakes, or I just closed my eyes and replicated how I needed to swim," Prigoda said.

"The past year forced me to keep myself on course. 

"I know that this is still not enough. 

"I am determined to continue to work so that I can repeat this sometime in the near future.

"I didn't think about breaking the world record before the competition."

In the 4x50m mixed medley race, the American quartet of Olivia Smoliga, Michael Andrew, Kelsi Dahlia, Caeleb Dressel smashed their own world record as they clocked 1:36.40.

The Netherlands came through to earn silver, while bronze was claimed by Russia.

Legendary South African Chad le Clos clinched his fourth consecutive world short course men's 100m butterfly crown as he emerged victorious from his eagerly-anticipated duel with Dressel.

Le Clos, the four-time Olympic medallist and London 2012 200m butterfly champion, touched the wall in 48.50.

Dressel was 0.21 behind in second, while Li Zhuhao of China added to the hosts' medal tally with bronze.

Lisa Bratton led home an American one-two in the women's 200m backstroke event, a race which many thought would be dominated by three-time Olympic champion Katinka Hosszú of Hungary.

But the Hungarian finished outside of the medals, with Bratton winning gold ahead of team-mate Kathleen Baker in 2:00.71 and Australia's Emily Seebohm taking bronze.

Dutch star Ranomi Kromowidjojo won the women's 100m freestyle in a championship record of 51.14, which proved enough to beat compatriot Femke Heemskerk, who ended with silver.

Bronze was claimed by Mallory Comerford of the US.

The event in Hangzhou continues tomorrow.