Lenton breaks 100m record

Australia's Libby Lenton broke Britta Steffen's world record for the women's 100m freestyle at Sydney's Olympic pool yesterday. Lenton posted a time of 52.99 seconds, 0.31 under Steffen's record of 53.30 which the German set at last year's European Championships in Budapest.

Lenton set the mark as the lead-off swimmer in a mixed 4x100 freestyle relay race between Australia and the US.

The 22-year-old had to line up against Michael Phelps and although she finished more than four seconds behind him, Lenton was still able to regain her mantle as the fastest woman in water.

Under swimming's rules, times recorded by the lead-off swimmers in relays can count as individual times but there was some doubt as to whether Lenton's mark would be recognised because of the unusual nature of the mixed relay.

However, Swimming Australia officials said they had immediately contacted the sport's world governing body FINA who told them the record would stand.

She collected a A$20,000 ($16,393) bonus as the only swimmer to break a world record in yesterday's "Duel in the Pool" between Australia and the US. Lenton is getting married to fellow swimmer Luke Trickett next weekend.