Spain's Faber sets 100m backstroke world record
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 | 6:42 PM ET
The Associated Press
Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer Faber celebrates after setting a new men's backstroke 100-metre world record on July 1. (Alessandra Tarantino/Associated Press)Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer Faber set a world record in the 100-metre backstroke with a 52.38-second leg in the 4x100 medley relay final at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy, on Wednesday.
Faber's time beat American Aaron Peirsol's 52.54 record set in the Beijing Olympics.
"It's almost a dream," Farber said of the record. "I hope to do it again in Rome (at the world championships)."
Spain won the relay in 3:34.22, with Greece second at 3:34.71 and Italy taking the bronze in 3:35.55, the ANSA news agency reported.
On Saturday, Italy's Federica Pellegrini set a world record in the 400 freestyle at the Pescara Games.
Pellegrini, the Olympic champion and world record-holder in the 200 freestyle, finished in four minutes 0.41 seconds to lower the mark of Jo Jackson of Britain by 0.25 seconds.
