Ruta Meilutyte Breaks Soni’s 100 Meter World Record in Moscow

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.

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Jack
10 years ago

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.

bobo gigi
10 years ago
PAOLO
10 years ago

Sure she’s gonna break 50 WR tomorrow

DanishSwimFan
Reply to  PAOLO
10 years ago

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.

PAOLO
Reply to  DanishSwimFan
10 years ago

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

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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