UniversalSports.com Daily Coverage, including webcasts
ROME, Italy, July 26. THE men's 50 fly national record books took a beating during prelims at the FINA World Championships.
World-record holder Rafael Munoz and South Africa's Roland Schoeman tied for the lead heading into semis with 22.90s. Munoz owns the global mark with a 22.43, while Schoeman broke his African record of 22.96. Schoeman's previous continental mark also served as the meet record.
Serbia's Milorad Cavic qualified third in 22.93 to lower his national mark of 23.11 and become the first Serbian under 23 seconds. Denmark's Jakob Andkjaer finished fourth with a 23.04 to beat his national record of 23.36 set in April.
Australia's Andrew Lauterstein finished fifth in 23.10, while Croatia's Duje Draganja clocked a 23.14 to best his 23.35 national record set in April. Slovenia's Jernej Godec finished seventh with a 23.20 to down his 23.41 national record, while Venezuela's Albert Subirats touched in 23.23 for eighth, and downed his 23.57 set in 2007.
Brazil's Nicholas Santos qualified eighth as well with a 23.23 to beat Cesar Cielo's national mark of 23.42, while Australia's Matt Targett touched in 23.23 as well.
Russia's Evgeny Korotyshkin hit the wall in 23.24 to drop his 23.43 set in April, while Ukraine's Sergii Breus stopped the clock in 23.35 to beat his 23.38 national mark.
Kenya's Jason Dunford (23.40), New Zealand's Corney Swanepoel (23.40), Croatia's Mario Todorovic (23.45) and South Africa's Graeme Moore (23.48) completed the top 16. Swanepoel lowered his national record of 23.46 set in April.