NJ's Soni Sets World Record in 200m Breast Semifinals

Rebecca Soni timed 2 minutes, 20.00 seconds, shaving 0.12 seconds off the previous mark set by Annamay Pierse of Canada at the 2009 world championships in Rome in a now-banned bodysuit

Rebecca Soni of the United States set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke semifinals at the London Olympics on Wednesday.

Soni timed 2 minutes, 20.00 seconds, shaving 0.12 seconds off the previous mark set by Annamay Pierse of Canada at the 2009 world championships in Rome in a now-banned bodysuit.
 
It was the fifth world record set in the pool at these games.
 
 
Rikke Pedersen of Denmark qualified second in 2:22.23 and Satomi Suzuki of Japan was third in 2:22.40.
 
The top eight finishers qualified for Thursday's final.
 
Soni was also favored to win the 100 breast but took silver behind surprise 15-year-old winner Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania.
 
Meilutyte did not enter the 200.
 
Soni told NBC 4 New York in London she was "a little disappointed," but was still happy with her silver medal.
 
AP freelance writer Doug Gould contributed to this report.

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