Britta Steffen of Germany, pictured winning the gold at the 2008 Olympics, credits her world record in the 100-metre freestyle to a controversial body swimsuit. Britta Steffen of Germany, pictured winning the gold at the 2008 Olympics, credits her world record in the 100-metre freestyle to a controversial body swimsuit. (Mark Baker/Associated Press)

Germany's Britta Steffen thrilled her hometown fans by breaking the world record in the 100-metre freestyle Thursday at a swim meet in Berlin.

Steffen swam a time of 52.85 seconds, 3-100ths of a second faster than Australia's Lisbeth Trickett, who set the mark in March 2008.

The German won gold in the women's 50 and 100 freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Steffen gave most of the credit to the new full bodysuit she donned Thursday. The controversial suit will be banned next year by FINA, swimming's governing body.

Still, Steffen doesn't have a problem with the decision, saying, "this material can destroy the sport of swimming."

With files from The Associated Press