Browsing: Rome 2009

Germany’s Daniela Samulski set a new world record in the first semifinal of the 50 backstroke, with a time of 27.39, before Anastasia Zueva bettered this in the second semifinal, with a time of 27.38. The old world record was 27.61. Michael Phelps demolished his own 200 butterfly world record, with a time of 1:51.51, where his world record from Beijing was 1:52.03. First man under 1:52, wearing only Speedo LZR leggings. Local favourite Federica Pellegrini bettered her own world record in the 200 freestyle, with a time of 1:52.98, where her world record was 1:53.67. South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh bettered his own 50 breaststroke world record from the semifinal on day 3, from 26.74 to 26.67. And China’s Lin Zhang erased the epic 800 freestyle world record of Grant Hackett, with a time of 7:32.12, where Hackett’s world record from 2005 was 7:38.65.

Germany’s Paul Biedermann beat Michael Phelps with a new world record time of 1:42.00, where Phelps swam 1:43.22. Phelps’ world record was 1:42.96, before this. Britain’s Gemma Spofforth set a new world record in the 100 backstroke, with a time of 58.12, where Russia’s Anastasia Zueva in the semifinal set a world record time of 58.48. Cameron van der Burgh set a new world record in the 50 breaststroke semifinal, with a time of 26.74 where Brazil’s Felipe Franca da Silva’s world record was 26.89. And Italy’s italska Federica Pellegrini bettered her own world record in the 200 freestyle, from 1:54.47 to 1.53.67.