Walker breaks world 50M Backstroke record in heats

Athens, Mar 16: American Neil Walker gave the world short-course swimming championships a flying start with a world record in the men’s 50 metres backstroke, here on Thursday.

Walker clocked 24.04 seconds in heats on the opening session of the four-day championships to beat the mark of 24.11, set by Australia’s Matt Welsh, at a World Cup Meeting in Hobart in January. Walker had set the record before that Welsh time, when he clocked 24.12 at a world cup event at College Park, Maryland, last November.

Earlier, fellow American Jenny Thompson had opened the defence of her 100 metres freestyle crown in impressive style by setting the fastest time in the morning’s heats.