Well, this one was almost inevitable, wasn’t it?
Lithuanian 16-year old Ruta Meilutyte has broken the World Record in the 100 short course meters breaststroke on Saturday evening in Moscow, Russia at the 3rd stop of the 2013 FINA World Cup Series. She swam a 1:02.36 to break the 1:02.70 done by American Rebeccca Soni at the 2009 Duel in the Pool in Manchester.
By continuation, Meilutyte also broke Leisel Jones‘ 1:03.00 World Cup Record, set in Berlin at the 2009 meet.
Meilutyte, thanks in part to her incredible starts, swims a much different race than either of the two women above, who have to be considered two of the five best female breaststrokers of all-time.
The comparative splits:
| Rebecca Soni | Leisel Jones | Ruta Meilutyte | |
| Old WR | Old WC | New WC/WR | |
| 1st 50 | 30.08 | 30.05 | 29.56 |
| 2nd 50 | 32.62 | 32.95 | 32.80 |
| total time | 1:02.70 | 1:03.00 | 1:02.36 |
Meilutyte will also swim the 50 breaststroke on Sunday, where she’ll be shooting for the 28.80 done by Jessica Hardy in 2009. On paper, at least, that appears to be a slightly-stiffer World Record, but its still well within the range of Meilutyte given that she’s been 29.48 (also a World Record) in long course.
She now holds three World Records: the 50/100 long course from this summer’s World Championships, and the 100 meter race in short course.
With Pedersen not swimming and (presumably) Efimova focusing on the Salnikov meet, Europe really need to ensure Ruta swims at the Duel in the pool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u8Sjgu61nM
Sure she’s gonna break 50 WR tomorrow
There’s going to be fireworks in the 50 tonight for sure. 29.27 for Efimova and 29.96 for Meilutyte in the heats already, and Ruta is going to want revenge for that loss in Barcelona.
Considering Ruta went 29.56 in the first half of the race, today she can go 29 low. What about Yuliya? Dunno how smooth she swam this morning…I hope they can both break 29 tonite