WR: Galvez 100m Butterfly - 55.89
2008-04-13
Craig Lord
Felicity Galvez (AUS) took down the 100m butterfly world record with a 55.89 that confined the 55.95 of fellow Dolphin Libby Lenton to history

Felicity Galvez (AUS) took down the 100m butterfly world record with a 55.89 that confined the 55.95 of fellow Dolphin Libby Lenton to history.

Galvez, who did not make the Australia Olympic team last month as third fastest Dolphin, split the race in 26.08, ahead of 26.39 and 26.60 for Jemma Lowe (GBR) and Rachel Komisarz (USA) respectively. Komisarz came back at Galvez in the closing 15 metres but the Australian had done enough, her personal improvement one of 0.74sec. There is no end to the new standards being set at the dawn of a technology-led age.

Komisarz claimed the silver in an American record of 56.32, 0.02sec up on Natalie Coughlin's best, and Lowe took bronze in 56.84, another 0.15sec off her British record.

If Galvez got past one absent Dolphin then Suzaan Van Biljon (RSA) gave another a small scare: in 2:18.73, she won the 200m breaststroke in a time just 0.98sec shy of Leisel Jones's world record. The time is the second-fastest ever and takes the South African, who turns 20 later this month, into the realms of Olympic medal prospect. Coached by Igor Omeltchenko, Van Biljon split her race as follows:


31.69; 1:06.42; 1:42.35; 2:18.73 (31.69 ; 34.73 ; 35.93; 36.38 )

The silver and bronze went respectively to Sally Foster (AUS) in 2:20.11 and Yuliya Efimova (RUS), in 2:20.48.