Updated December 1 with video
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada, November 28. JULIA Smit of the U.S. shot down the short course meter world record in the women's 400 IM at the Canada Cup held in Toronto tonight.
Smit posted a time of 4:25.87 to wipe out the 4:26.52 set by Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry at the 2008 World Short Course Championships held in Manchester, England.
"I stayed relaxed after this morning's swim as I knew I had lot more in me," Smit told Swimming Canada. "It was amazing hearing all the Canadians cheering me on!"
Here are the comparative splits of the two records:
Coventry: 29.28, 1:02.38 (33.10), 1:35.49 (33.11), 2:07.81 (32.32), 2:45.66 (37.85), 3:24.58 (38.92), 3:56.18 (31.60), 4:26.52 (30.34)
Smit: 28.88, 1:01.28 (32.40), 1:35.17 (33.89), 2:08.25 (33.08), 2:46.18 (37.93), 3:24.76 (38.58), 3:55.49 (30.73), 4:25.87 (30.38)
Liz Smith, Smit's training partner, placed second in 4:34.62, while Tanya Hunks took third in 4:40.78 to set the Canadian record.
Notably, Smit's time also broke Kaitlin Sandeno's American record of 4:30.12 set in 2004.
Video of world record courtesy of Swimming Canada