Ruta Meilutyte breaks 100m breast short-course record

Moscow: Lithuania`s Olympic and World Champion Ruta Meilutyte smashed the women`s 100 metres breaststroke short-course world record at the World Cup.

The 16-year-old clocked one minute and 2.36 seconds Saturday to easily break the previous best of 1:02.70 set by American Rebecca Soni in 2009. "I didn`t expect to set any records," said Meilutyte, winner of the event at the London Olympic Games. Russian Yulia Efimova was 1.17 seconds slower while Jamaican Alia Shanee Atkinson was third with 1:04.64. "I started practising seriously just three weeks ago and I`m still far from my top form. But every meeting with Efimova forces me to stay completely focused. I love to compete with her as it brings out the best of me over the distance. Today`s record is the best proof of it," she said. The Russians also set a new world record in the mixed 4x50m medley relay with a time of 1:41.70. World Champion Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, who tops the women`s World Cup general standings, clinched five podium places (200m and 800m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 50m and 200m backstroke) before winning the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:06.86. Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden won the women`s 50m and 200m freestyles and 100m butterfly. South Africa`s Olympic and World Champion Chad Le Clos won the men`s 200m butterfly. He was second in the 50m fly while the gold was taken by compatriot Roland Schoeman, who also won the 50m breaststroke. Russia`s Vladimir Morozov finished first in the men`s 100m freestyle with a time of 45.68. Morozov then went on to top the podium in the 100m individual medley.