Japan's Kitajima sets world breaststroke record

Kosuke Kitajima shattered the men's 200m breaststroke world record yesterday, the Japanese double Olympic gold medallist clocking two minutes, 7.51 seconds to slice almost a second off the existing mark.

The 25-year-old's time eclipsed American Brendan Hansen's two-year-old record of 2:08.50 at an Olympic send-off competition in Tokyo ahead of August's Beijing Games.

Kitajima won gold in the 100 and 200 metres at the Athens Olympics four years ago but has largely played second fiddle to rival Hansen since. Hansen still owns the 100m mark.

Kitajima, who is contracted to Japanese manufacturer Mizuno, broke the world record wearing one of Speedo's controversial LZR swimsuits. World records have tumbled over the last few months, almost all by swimmers wearing the LZR suits, which the British company says reduces drag, muscle oscillation and skin vibration.