PESCARA – Spain set an European record of 3:34.22 to win the gold medal in the men's 4x100 metres medley relay at the Mediterranean Games on Wednesday.

The quartet composed of Aschwin Wildeboer Faber, Melquiades Alvarez, Álex Villaécija and Jose Antonio Alonso teamed up to slice 0.03sec off the previous record that Russia set at last year's Europeans in Eindhoven.

In the same event Wildeboer set a new world record for the 100 backstroke touching the wall in 52.38s.

European record evolution (Time, Team/Nationality, Place, Date):
3:34.22 Spain ESP Pescara 01.07.09
3:34.25 Russia RUS Eindhoven 24.03.08
3:34.72 Russia RUS Barcelona 27.07.03

Note that Russian team perfomed a 3:31.92 time placing fourth at the Beijing Games (behind USA 3:29.43 WR, Australia in 3:30.04, Oceanic and Commonwealth record and China 3:31.18, Asian record) but the mark wasn’t ratified because of some irregularities in filling the LEN documentation.

Also see:

European records not ratified by LEN
Apr 3, 2009