Australian teenager Mollie O’Callaghan has broken the women’s 200m freestyle world record, which had stood since the performance-enhancing bodysuit era, at the World Aquatics Championships.
O’Callaghan, 19, clocked one minute 52.85 seconds, taking 0.13 secs off Federica Pellegrini’s previous record.
Pellegrini wore a high-tech suit – banned since 2010 – in setting her time at the 2009 World Championships.
O’Callaghan beat compatriot Ariarne Titmus to gold by 0.16 seconds.
Summer McIntosh of Canada took the bronze, while Great Britain’s Freya Anderson was seventh in Fukuoka, Japan.
Italian Pellegrini’s 200m freestyle time of 1:52.98 was the oldest record in women’s long-course (50m pool length) swimming.
“If I’m being honest, I feel shaken. I was just expecting to have fun,” an emotional O’Callaghan said after breaking the record.
“Coming away with the record is just amazing.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Britain’s 200m freestyle gold medallist Matt Richards twice set a national record in qualifying for the men’s 100m freestyle final.
Richards, 20, set a British record when he qualified fastest for the semi-finals in 47.59 seconds, later improving that time to 47.47secs as he also set the fastest semi-final time.
Lauren Cox produced a lifetime best of 27.29secs to qualify third fastest for the women’s 50m backstroke final.
