BEIJING – Sara Nordenstam has set a new European mark for the women’s 200 metres breaststroke.

The Norwegian swimmer placed second in her semifinal in 2:23.79.

In the last semifninal Mirna Jukic of Austria shaved shaved 0.04sec off the previous mark qualifying in 2:23.76.

Before these semifinals Hungary’s Agnes Kovacs was the European record holder with a time of 2:24.03, set in a semi-final at the Sydney Olympics, on September 19, 2000.