Japan`s Ippei Watanabe sets breaststroke world record in swimming

Watanabe clocked a time of 2:06.67 at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup in Tokyo, eclipsing the previous best set by countryman Akihiro Yamaguchi.

Tokyo: Japan`s Ippei Watanabe broke the men`s 200 metres breaststroke world record on Sunday by becoming the first swimmer to go under two minutes, seven seconds.

The 19-year-old clocked a time of 2:06.67 at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup in Tokyo, eclipsing the previous best set by countryman Akihiro Yamaguchi in 2012 by 0.34 seconds.

"I`m stunned," Watanabe told reporters after lowering a record once regularly broken by Japanese swim great Kitajima, who was watching on at Tatsumi pool.

"It still hasn`t sunk in. I`m unbelievably happy. I just tried to go for it but I didn`t think I`d get (the record)."

Watanabe threatened a sensational shock at last year`s Rio Olympics with a Games record going into the final, only to finish sixth.

"This is a marker," said Watanabe, looking ahead to this year`s Budapest world championships in July.

"I`ll be looking to win the world title and to keep improving the world record."