Vaziri breaks 50m backstroke record in semis

MELBOURNE, Mar 28 (Reuters) Leila Vaziri of the United States set a world record of 28.16 seconds for the women's 50 metres backstroke in the world championships semi-finals today.

The 21-year-old New Yorker burst off the blocks and emerged from the water with a slender lead before slicing 0.03 seconds off the previous record of 28.19 set by Janine Pietsch of Germany in Berlin in 2005.

''Going in to tonight I definitely had it in my mind to go that time,'' Vaziri, who is competing in her first major international competition, told reporters.

Vaziri had barely recovered her breath when U.S. team mate Michael Phelps shattered the men's 200m butterfly record and she said the team were feeding off each other's record-breaking exploits at Rod Laver Arena.

''The energy (in the team) is incredible, you just want to go world record so bad just to be up with everybody else. It's so much fun being out there.

''Records one after the other it's been awesome. This is my second US national team so I'm a rookie and it's been the best experience ever. It's certainly not stressful, we're having a great time.'' REUTERS SAM KP1855