Two-time double Olympic breaststroke champion Kosuke Kitajima could only manage third place in the 100-meter final at the World Cup short-course meet in Tokyo on Sunday.
Kitajima touched the wall in 58.36 seconds in the race won by Ryo Tateishi, who clocked 57.52 to complete a 100-200 double at Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center.
Australia’s Christian Sprenger took second 0.05 behind Tateishi.
Ian Thorpe ended his much-hyped Tokyo campaign on a disappointing note, bowing out in the 100-meter butterfly heats with a 26th-place showing in 53.59.
The Australian superstar recently came out of retirement to try and compete at next year’s London Olympics.
Ryo Takayasu won the 100 butterfly final in 50.52.
The women’s 100-meter backstroke title went to Aya Terakawa (56.28).