Pederson breaks world record in women's 200m breaststroke

BARCELONA, Spain - Denmark's Rikke Pederson set the third new world record of the FINA world championships currently being held in Barcelona when she swum a time of 2:19.11 in the fist semifinal of the women's 200 meter breaststroke on Thursday evening.

Pederson's swim beat the previous best of 2:19.59, set by American Rebecca Soni in the London Olympic Games.

The other records to be broken this week in Barcelona were by Ruta Meilutyte in the semifinal of the women's 100 meter breaststoke, while 16 year-old Katie Ledecky knocked almost 6 seconds off the previous world best in the women's 1,500 meter final.

Denmark's Rikke Pederson reacts after breaking the world record to win women's 200 meter breaststroke semifials at the FINA world championships in Barcelona, Aug 1, 2013. [Photo grabbed from CCTV Sports]