Yuliya Efimova Lowers Meilutyte’s 50 Breast Championship Record

2018 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 3-9, 2018 (swimming portion)
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Tollcross International Swimming Centre
• Meet Central
• Program
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Europe w/ English commentary)
• Full Results

Russian Yuliya Efimova broke the women’s 50 breast Championship Record in the semi-finals on day 6 of the European Championships in Glasgow. Efimova clocked in a time of 29.66, the only sub-30 in the field, lowering Ruta Meilutyte‘s 2014 mark of 29.88.

That swim stacks up as the 3rd fastest of Efimova’s career, having been 29.52 at the 2013 World Championships (where she won gold) and 29.57 last summer at the World Championships in Budapest (taking silver). The swim also ties for the 9th fastest performance in history with Lilly King‘s 29.66 from the 2017 U.S. World Trials. King holds the world record at 29.40.

The 26-year-old has only won gold at the LC European Championships in the 50 breast once in her career, doing so back in 2010, and is the clear favorite to return to the top of the podium on Thursday. Imogen Clark is the 2nd seed heading into the final, having broken the British Record in 30.04, and Meilutyte sits 3rd in 30.38.

Improving her previous season-best of 29.84 by nearly two-tenths, Efimova moved up from 3rd to 2nd in the world rankings, but still trails King who hit a 29.62 earlier in the summer. With no 50 breast on the docket for King and the rest of the swimmers at the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo, Efimova would cement herself as the fastest 50 breaststroker of the year if she managed to get under King’s 29.62.