SYDNEY, Australia - Sweden's Therese Alshammar broke her own 50-metre butterfly world record at the Australian swimming titles Tuesday but was later disqualified by Swimming Australia for wearing two swimsuits.
Alshammar set a time of 25.44 seconds in the morning qualifying heats to take 0.02 of a second off the record 25.46 she set at Barcelona, Spain on June 13, 2007.
But officials later discovered that Alshammar was wearing two suits in the race. Swimming Australia said that under swimming governing body FINA's new rules that were ratified last weekend, and Swimming Australia's rules instituted last year, Alshammar would be disqualified because it states that swimmers may only wear one suit.
Swimming Australia spokesman Ian Hanson said Alshammar would appeal the decision which came after a five-hour meeting. The appeal will be heard later Tuesday by meet referee Janelle Barnett.
Last Saturday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, FINA adopted new rules for the high-tech suits that helped produce more than 100 world records in just over a year.
The guidelines "revise the requirements for swimsuit approval" and it was said they would be in place for the world championships in Rome from July 17. FINA stipulated that swimsuits should not cover the neck and will not extend past the shoulders and ankles.
The 31-year-old Alshammar would not have had another chance to break her mark at the Australian championships. As a foreigner, she is not allowed to compete in semifinals or finals and there is no B final for the race.
Swedish swimmer has world record erased for wearing two swimsuits
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Published on
March 17, 2009
- Published on January 4, 2010
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The Associated Press ~ staff The News
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