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Yuliya Efimova Breaks Jessica Hardy’s 50 Breaststroke World Record

In the final heat of the women’s 50 breaststroke during the day 6 prelims, Yuliya Efimova made sure that every women’s breaststroke World Record had been wiped off of the record board. Throughout the week, Ruta Meilutytte broke the 100 breaststroke record, Rikke Moeller-Pederson broke the 200 breaststroke record, and finally, Yuliya Efimova breaks the 50 breaststroke World Record. She swam to a time of 29.78, .02 seconds faster than Jessica Hardy‘s previous World Record from 2009 at 29.80. Jessica Hardy did not let the record go down without a fight, she finished second in the same heat with her time of 29.99, but it was not enough.

Yuliya Efimova has shown great versatility in her breaststroke. Last night, she won the women’s 200 breaststroke, reaching the wall just before World Record holder, Rikke Moeller-Pederson. She made her first Olympic team in 2008, where she finished 4th in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 200 breaststroke. Last summer in London, she won the bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke.

Efimova and Hardy have both trained with Dave Salo at the University of Southern California together.

Her time of 29.78 will stand not only as the World Record, but the European and Championship Record as well.

This race will be very competitive as the meet continues. Jessica Hardy will be very quick through the semi-finals and finals, as well as Ruta Meilutyte, who finished in third with a time of 30.07 this morning.

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john26
11 years ago

Men: 0
Women: 4

Philip Johnson
11 years ago

Love to see swimming still get fast without the suits. Always a good day to see a suit record go down.

And he men: you’ve been put to shame!

don
11 years ago

Always glad to see a rubber record go down.

aswimfan
11 years ago

I will root for ruta!

it will be ironic if efimova gets the WR but ruta gets the win, just like in the 200

SprintDude9000
11 years ago

Amazing morning swim, not sure she’ll win the final though. 29.4 for Meilutyte is my prediction. 😉

liquidassets
11 years ago

It was fun to watch live; at first I thought “29.7? Could that be a WR?” But I said nah cause the announcers didn’t say anything at first, and Efimova didn’t react. Then Hardy told her; Hardy knew because it was her record that Efimova broke! Then Efimova slowly realized and looked shocked; you have to go back and watch it just to see her face; it’s priceless.

Shaping up to be a 3 way battle so far. Any of the 3 could take it all despite the WR. Interesting to see what Meilutyte will put up tonight.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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