SWIMMING:Australia's Libby Lenton broke Britta Steffen's world record for the women's 100 metres freestyle at Sydney's Olympic pool yesterday. Lenton posted a time of 52.99 seconds, 0.31 under Steffen's mark of 53.30, which the German set at last year's European championships in Budapest.

Lenton set the mark as the lead-off swimmer in a mixed 4x100 metres freestyle relay race between Australia and the US.

Under swimming's rules, times recorded by the lead-off swimmers in relays can count as individual times but there was some doubt as to whether Lenton's mark would be recognised because of the unusual nature of the mixed relay. However, Swimming Australia officials said they had contacted the sport's world governing body, Fina, who told them the record would stand.