BEIJING (AFP) — Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe set a new world record in the women's 100m backstroke Monday with a time of 58.77 seconds in the semi-finals at the Beijing Olympics.
The previous record of 58.97 set by Natalie Coughlin at the US trials in Omaha, Nebraska on July 1.
Coventry said the world record had taken her by surprise and she was happy just to make it into a good lane for Tuesday's final.
"I am very excited. It was a great swim, I just want to go home and take good care of myself, it is going to be a tight final," she said.
"Laure Manaudou has the 400 free to come so she wasn't giving it everything and Natalie (Coughlin) is so good at racing, she knows what to do.
"So I expect nothing but fast, fast racing tomorrow morning.
Coughlin had set five consecutive world records in the event before Coventry took the record off her.
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