Australia's Sullivan breaks 50m swimming world record

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australian Eamon Sullivan broke the world record in the men's 50m freestyle at the New South Wales swimming championships here on Sunday.

Sullivan clocked 21.56 seconds to eclipse Russian Alexander Popov's 2000 mark of 21.64 sec by 0.08 seconds.

Sullivan, who claimed bronze in the 100m freestyle at last year's world championships, shaved almost half a second off his personal best time in establishing the record.

"I just surprised myself," he said. "I felt really, really good in the warm-up and working towards getting under 22 for the first time.

"I really don't know (how that happened).

"We have made some big gains in the gym and I knew if I put bits of my best race together we would be in for a shot at the 22. To take that...