Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

SYDNEY, Australia - Australia's Eamon Sullivan broke the 50-metre freestyle world record again Thursday, while his Beijing Olympic teammate Libby Trickett did the same over 100 metres.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mark Baker

Australia's Libby Trickett reacts after setting a world record in the women's 100 meter freestyle.

It was the third time in the past six weeks that the men's 50 record has been lowered, after Alexander Popov's previous mark stood for nearly eight years.

Sullivan, competing in the 50 semifinals of the Australian championships and Olympic trials at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre, broke the 50 world mark of 21.50 seconds established by France's Alain Bernard at the European championships last weekend in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Bernard had broken Sullivan's previous mark of 21.56 set Feb. 17 at the New South Wales Open in the same Sydney pool. Popov's previous record of 21.64 was set in Moscow on June 16, 2000.

Sullivan was spurred on after missing Bernard's 100-metre freestyle world record by just 0.02 seconds on Wednesday.

"It's sort of sweet to get this back after missing it last night," he said. "I felt great in the warmup tonight and great in the swim."

The 22-year-old Sullivan said he is optimistic he could again lower the world record Friday in the final.

"I hope so, I always like to think I can take off another couple of hundredths (of a second) in the finals."

It was the second time Trickett, formerly Libby Lenton, broke the 53-second barrier, but her previous time of 52.99 at the Duel in the Pool in Sydney last year was not ratified by FINA because she was swimming against American Michael Phelps.

"I cannot say how much I wanted to do that," said Trickett. "Ever since Duel in the Pool last year ... I've just wanted it so badly and to see it officially up there is just amazing."

Sullivan burst off the blocks with an unprecedented 0.66 second reaction time and was half a body length ahead of his nearest challenger. He slapped the water and pumped both fists when he realized the record was again his.

Sullivan joins his girlfriend Stephanie Rice with having set two world records this year. Rice set new marks in the 200-and 400-metre individual medley at the Australian championships.

Breaststroker Leisel Jones narrowly missed her own 200-metre record, touching in 2:21.34.

Jones was ahead of record pace for the opening 150 metres but fell off on the final lap to finish .80 off her world mark.

"I lifted off the crowd and drew energy off Eamon's world record," said Jones.