The Malta Independent on Sunday

Two world records set in Glasgow

Swimming - European Championsh­ips

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British swimmer Adam Peaty improved his own world record in the 100-meter breaststro­ke to 57 seconds at the European Championsh­ips yesterday.

The Olympic champion shaved 0.13 off his previous best mark, which he swam at the Rio de Janeiro Games two years ago.

Peaty has the 14 fastest times in the discipline, and he is the only swimmer to beat the 58second mark.

Peaty was still far from another world record in his heat (57.89) and in the semifinals (58.04) on Friday, but announced he "would be on my full game" for the final.

With a reaction time at the start of just 0.47, Peaty looked sharp from the beginning of the race. He never had his lead under threat. He beat James Wilby by 1.54 for a British 1-2 finish.

Anton Chupkov of Russia finished 1.96 behind in third.

It's Peaty's ninth European long-course title, to add to his five world titles.

In the buildup, Peaty said he wasn't focusing on setting world records or below-57 finishing times anymore after his disappoint­ing showing at the Commonweal­th Games.

On the Gold Coast in April, he won the 100 breaststro­ke in only 58.84, and suffered a first defeat in four years in the 50 breaststro­ke, where he was edged by South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh.

Peaty said he would seek redemption at the European Championsh­ips, and to get confirmati­on he was still well ahead of the competitio­n with the Tokyo Olympics two years away.

Russian swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov set a world record in the final of the men's 50meter backstroke at the European Championsh­ips yesterday.

Kolesnikov finished in 24 seconds to beat the previous best mark set by Britain's Liam Tan- cock, who timed 24.04 at the 2009 world championsh­ips in Rome.

Robert-Andrei Glinta of Romania won silver after trailing Kolesnikov by 0.55, and Shane Ryan of Ireland finished 0.64 behind for bronze.

It's the 18-year-old Kolesnikov's second gold medal of the European Championsh­ips after winning the 4x100 freestyle with the Russian team on Friday. He also won four European titles at the short-track championsh­ips in Copenhagen last year.

 ??  ?? British swimmer Adam Peaty reacts after improving his ow world record in the 100m breaststro­ke
British swimmer Adam Peaty reacts after improving his ow world record in the 100m breaststro­ke

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