World Record for Rebecca in the 200M Breaststroke Semis!
August 2, 2012
It was just a matter of time before USA’s Rebecca Soni hit on all cylinders, and the women’s 200-meter breaststroke semifinals proved to be that time at the 2012 London Olympics.
The defending Olympic gold medalist, Soni clocked a world record in the event with a clean 2:20.00 en route to the top seed. That swim bettered the 2:20.12 posted by Canada’s Annamay Pierse during semis of the 2009 World Championships during the techsuit era, and also took half-a-second off the textile best of 2:20.54 turned in by Leisel Jones in 2006. Incidentally, the swim also eclipsed Soni’s American record of 2:2022 from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and her American textile best of 2:20.69 from Pan Pacs in 2010. Soni looks in control of becoming the first swimmer to ever defend a women’s 200 breaststroke Olympic gold medal, after finishing more than two seconds ahead of the field.
