Sydney - Penny Heyns continued her amazing run of world records on Friday when she broke her own mark for the women's 200 metres breaststroke in the final at the Pan Pacific swimming championships.
The dual Olympic champion cruised into the wall at Sydney's Olympic pool after two minute 23.64 seconds to slice 0.78 seconds off the previous record of 2:24.51 which she set in Thursday's semifinals.
The 23-year-old South African has now set seven world records in the past six weeks including three in the past five days.
"I am shocked by the time," Heyns said. "As much as I tried to convince myself I was relaxed tonight I was still a little nervous.
"It was also very hard because I was so far in front by myself and I felt a little distracted during the race but the crowd's support kept me going."
Heyns almost quit swimming a year ago after failing to win a medal at the 1998 world championships, but has bounced back with an incredible series of performances.
She set four world records in two days at the Janet Evans Invitational meeting in California last month - breaking both the 100 and 200 breaststroke records twice each - and went even faster in both events in Sydney.
She lowered her 100m standard in Monday's heats then broke the 200m in the semis and again in the final. - Reuters