Pellegrini reclaims world 400 freestyle record

Italy's Federica Pellegrini reclaimed the women's 400 metre freestyle world record when she took gold in the final at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara yesterday.

Pellegrini swam four minutes 00.41 seconds to snatch the record back off Britain's Joanne Jackson, who swam 4:00.66 in Sheffield, England, in March.

"Even I am surprised by the record. Clearly I underestimated myself," she told Rai television.

The 20-year-old, also the 200m freestyle world record holder and Olympic champion, was the 400m record holder before Jackson bettered her mark.

She finished out of the medals in the 400 in Beijing last year but is now an even bigger favourite for gold at next month's world championships in Rome.

On Friday, the manufacturers of the Italian team's Jaked 01 suit gave her the option of wearing another brand after she lamented the controversy surrounding the new technological costumes.

Jaked 01 has nonetheless been approved by governing body FINA.

Pellegrini, who suffered a panic and asthma attack at a race last year, has often filled the gossip pages of Italian newspapers rather than the sport sections in recent years.

The four-yearly Mediterranean Games, which has welcomed over 4,000 competitors from 23 countries in the region, officially began on Friday and run for 11 days.

The event is taking place in the Italian region of Abruzzo, shaken by a large earthquake in April which killed nearly 300 people.