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Rice smashes 400m medley world record

  • Story Highlights
  • Stephanie Rice smashes world record in the women's 400m individual medley
  • Rice shaves 1.43 seconds off American Katie Hoff's previous record of 4:32.89
  • Emily Seebohm breaks the world record in the non-Olympic 50m backstroke
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SYDNEY, Australia -- Stephanie Rice smashed the world record in the women's 400m individual medley on the opening night of the Australian Olympic swimming trials, setting a new mark of four minutes 31.46 seconds on Saturday.

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Rice reacts in astonishment after smashing the world record for the women's 400m individual medley.

Rice shaved 1.43 seconds off American Katie Hoff's previous record of 4:32.89.

She also sliced almost six seconds off her best time to make her favorite for the event at this year's Beijing Olympics.

Rice, a bronze medallist at last year's Melbourne world championships in the event, said she welcomed the pressure that would come her way in Olympic year.

"I have stirred it up and the pressure is on now but I can take that, a world record has been my dream and I'm so glad that I got it."

Brisbane schoolgirl Emily Seebohm continued the record-breaking opening night by claiming the best time in the non-Olympic 50m backstroke.

The 15-year-old touched the wall in 27.95 seconds in the semifinals of the event to shave 0.05 of a second off American Hayley McGregory's mark.

"The goal was pretty much all this season to get that world record, and being 0.01 off it last time I just had to go under 28 (seconds) this time," she said.

It was the eighth world record of the year.

Rice and Seebohm's achievements pushed the performances of high-profile Australian swimmers Grant Hackett and Libby Trickett (formerly Lenton) into the background.

Hackett (3:43.15) produced the fastest time in the 400m freestyle in three years, while Craig Stevens (3:46.64) qualified as Australia's second swimmer in the event in Beijing.

Trickett (58.55) edged out rival Jess Schipper (58.60s) as they warmed up for Sunday's final of the women's 100m butterfly.

Trickett said it was about time that Dutch star Inge de Brujin's world mark set at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was erased.

"I would love to see it go down, whether it is by me or by Jess or someone else, it is eight years old and it is time for a change," she said.

Travis Nederpelt (4:16.31) earned his ticket to Beijing by winning the men's 400m individual medley, with Adam Lucas (4:19.07) also booking a spot. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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