Budapest: Briton Adam Peaty smashed his own world record in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke while Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu and American Katie Ledecky set out their stalls to become the leading female swimmers at the World Championships here Tuesday.
Following the successful defence of his 100m title Monday evening, Peaty clocked a world best time of 26.10 seconds to qualify fastest for the semifinals at the Duna Arena.
The 22-year-old shaved 0.32 seconds off the record mark he set at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan when he first announced himself on the global stage.
“I wasn’t going out there this morning for a world record,” Peaty said adding he could do faster. “It’s 10 o’clock in the morning and I’m very happy with that swim. That world record is two years old, so it’s due another push on.”
Moments earlier South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh had gone within 0.12 seconds of breaking Peaty’s previous world record. The former world and Olympic champion, whose titles have been swiped by Peaty in the last three years, opted to scratch the men’s 100m to focus on the 50m dash.
Peaty’s exploits overshadowed an intriguing clash which is set to further develop in the women’s 200m freestyle.
Italy’s Federica Pellegrini qualified fastest for the semifinals in one minute 57.07 seconds, ahead of Hosszu and Ledecky with only 0.36 seconds separating the trio.
Hosszu, fresh from her gold in the women’s 200m individual medley, is gunning for six individual titles, while Ledecky is aiming for a freestyle monopoly across the 200, 400, 800 and 1500 distances.
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