Peaty breaks 50-meter-breaststroke record twice in one day
July 26, 2017
Britain's Adam Peaty was left stunned after breaking his own 50-meter-breastroke world record twice in one day at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday. The achievement came the day after he won gold in the 100-meter breastroke.
The Olympic Champion shaved 0.47 seconds off the previous standard, set in Kazan in 2015, during Tuesday's 50-meter heats. The new record, 26.10 seconds, was further reduced in the evening's semifinal event to 25.95. He now holds the fastest five 50-meter-breastroke times in history.
Following Monday's success in the 100 meters, Peaty had vowed to produce "something special" in the one length event. He appeared as shocked as anybody, however, when his time was revealed, shaking his head in disbelief at a second world-record time that day.
"I didn't think I was going to do that," he grinned. "This morning I wasn't prepared to do a world record. I'm going to be focusing now, staying neutral and see what we get tomorrow."
Peaty is to compete in the British 4x100 medley relay team which will be aiming to defend its 2015 title.
North American successes
A day of outstanding swimming success also saw world records broken by Lily King of the United States and Canada's Kylie Masse.
King eclipsed a four-year-old 100-meter-breastroke record, previously held by Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte, by a little over two-tenths of a second. The new record stands at 1 minute 4.13 seconds.
Masse won the women's 100-meter backstroke in a time of 51.10 - eclipsing the previous record, set by Britain's Gemma Spofforth in 2009, by 0.02 seconds.
The day's tally took the total number of world records smashed during these World Championships to five. With events continuing until Sunday, there's still plenty of time for other swimmers to make their mark on the record books.
EM/pfd (AP, AFP)