Lithuanian teen sets meet record in 100 breaststroke
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 30, 2013
Lithuania's teenage Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte set a European and world championship record in qualifying for the 100 meters breaststroke yesterday as she chases a first world gold for the Baltic nation.
Swimming in the final heat alongside Jessica Hardy of the United States at Barcelona's hilltop Palau Sant Jordi, Meilutyte was just 0.07 outside Hardy's 2009 world record of 1: 4.45 seconds with a time of 1:04.52.
The 16-year-old, who trains in England, beat American Rebecca Soni's world championship record of 1:04.84 set at the 2009 edition in Rome.
Hardy was second-quickest in 1:05.18 with Russia's Yuliya Efimova third in 1:05.24 followed by Rikke Moller Pedersen of Denmark in 1:06.30.
China's Ye Shiwen can expect a battle royal in the women's 200m individual medley final, scheduled for later yesterday, as the reigning champion defends her title at the worlds.
The 17-year-old was the second-fastest qualifier on Sunday behind Hungary's Katinka Hosszu, who clocked 2mins 08.59 in the semifinals, with Australia's world silver medallist Alicia Coutts third quickest.
"It's definitely going to be a great race. We will be pushing each other but it won't just be about us two because others will go much faster in the final," said Hosszu, the 2009 world 400m IM champion, of her rivalry with Ye.
On Sunday, China's Sun Yang matched a feat previously achieved only by Australian Grant Hackett and American teenager Katie Ledecky became the second-fastest woman ever with victories in the men's and women's 400 meters freestyle.
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