Liu wins 50m backstroke title in world record time

JAKARTA, august 21

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China’s Liu Xiang surprised even herself when she swam a world record time to win the women’s 50m backstroke at the Asian Games on Tuesday, storming home in 26.98 seconds to claim her first major title.

The 21-year-old’s time bettered the 27.06 seconds which her compatriot Zhao Jing swam in a bodysuit at the Rome World Championships in 2009. It was the first world record to fall in the Asian Games pool since Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima improved the 200m breaststroke mark in Busan in 2002. “I didn’t see the result I only heard the words ‘world record’, I couldn’t believe it!,” Liu said. “It was like a dream. I did not expect to do that! It’s not even my favourite event.” Immediately dubbed ‘The Mermaid’ by the media back home, Liu was not going to let the fact that the event is not contested at the Olympic Games take the gloss off her achievement. “I am just happy that I made a breakthrough,” she said. 

Fourth gold

Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee grabbed her fourth gold of the meet with victory in the women’s 100m butterfly. — Reuters