DURBAN – Therese Alshammar of Sweden broke the women's 100 metres individual medley short course world record at the FINA World Cup on Saturday.

Alshammar, 32, swam 58.1 seconds to beat the previous world record of 58.54 seconds set by Australian Emili Seebohm at this year’s Nationals.

“I am not a medley specialist and I have not swum this event for a long time,” Alshammar said according to Swedish Television (SVT). “and I just wanted to test the distance for the future”.

World record evolution (Time, Name/Nationality, Place, Date):
58.51 Therese Alshammar SWE Durban 17.10.09
58.54 Emily Seebhom AUS Hobart 10.08.09
58.80 Coughlin Natalie USA East Meadow 23.11.02
59.30 Thompson Jenny USA Hong Kong 02.04.99
1:00.35 Moravcova Martina SVK Hong Kong 02.04.99
1:00.41 Thompson Jenny USA Sydney 16.01.99
1:00.43 Moravcova Martina SVK Sheffield 12.12.98

European record evolution (Time, Name/Nationality, Place, Date):
58.51 Therese Alshammar SWE Durban 17.10.09
59.07 Seppala Hanna-Maria FIN Stockholm 12.11.08
59.60 Seppala Hanna-Maria FIN Seinajoki 08.07.08
59.62 Seppala Hanna-Maria FIN Manchester 11.04.08
59.71 Moravcova Martina SVK Athens 18.03.00
1:00.20 Moravcova Martina SVK Hong Kong 03.04.99
1:00.35 Moravcova Martina SVK Hong Kong 02.04.99
1:00.43 Moravcova Martina SVK Sheffield 12.12.98

Also see:

Australian Seebohm sets 3rd WR at Nationals for 100 individual medley
Aug 10, 2009