Lithuanian teen sets record in swim worlds prelims

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A year after her breakout performance at the Olympics, Ruta Meilutyte is even faster than before.

The 16-year-old Lithuanian set a meet record in morning heats of the 100-meter breaststroke at the world championships Monday with a quicker swim than the ones that got her gold in London.

Meilutyte hit the wall in 1 minute, 4.52 seconds, Jessica Hardy of the United States was second in 1:05.18 and Yuliya Efimova of Russia touched third in 1:05.24.

At the Olympics, Meilutyte won in 1:05.47, although she swam faster in the semifinals at 1:05.21.

If she swims just 0.08 quicker in the semifinals later or in Tuesday's final, she'll break Hardy's world record of 1:04.45 set in 2009 at the height of the rubberized suit era.

http://news.yahoo.com/lithuanian-teen-sets-record-swim-worlds-prelims-095116486.html