In pictures: Ruta Meilutyte's record-breaking World Swimming Championships
- Published
With an Olympic gold medal already in her possession, the 16-year-old Plymouth-based Lithuania swimmer Ruta Meilutyte is one of the superstars of her sport. A new European record of one minute 04.52 seconds in her 100m heat at the World Championships in Barcelona served notice to her rivals that she is in tip-top form.
Ruta looks like she can barely believe the time she's just recorded as she climbs out of the pool to a rapturous reception from the crowds in Barcelona
Just a few hours later and Ruta is back in action in the semi-finals, and all eyes - and camera lenses - are trained on her after her spectacular performance in the morning heats
Ruta displays exemplary technique as she storms ahead of her rivals, and keeps herself in sight of Jessica Hardy's world record pace
Ruta (second from the right) leaves her rivals trailing as she gradually opens up a significant gap, leaving her effectively racing against the clock
She touches the wall in a time of one minute 04.30 seconds, which is 0.15 seconds faster than the previous best time set by Hardy in 2009 - and her delight is there for all to see. "My biggest aim is accomplished now and I'll give it my best shot in the final," she says.
The words on the flag say it all - a new world record and with the final to look forward to, surely more success is in the offing...
With the target of a world record time accomplished, Ruta was free to focus on simply beating her seven rivals in Tuesday's final and she gets off to a flying start with a tremendous spring off the blocks.
A strong challenge from silver and bronze medallists Yuliya Efimova and Jessica Hardy means Ruta has to be at her best, but she holds off her rivals to finish just 0.07 seconds outside her own world record.
Ruta's success has made her a big name in her adopted city of Plymouth, where she trains with coach John Rudd, but her loyalties to her native Lithuania - where she is a genuine superstar - are clear as she holds up the flag on her swimming cap to the television cameras.
It's time for the medal ceremony in Barcelona, as Ruta is joined by her two fellow medallists. Now it's time to turn her sights to the rest of the programme...
Just a few days later, and it's world record number two for Ruta, this time in the 50m breaststroke semi-finals. A time of 29.48 seconds beats the 29.78 set only hours earlier by Efimova.
But in the final, the 16-year-old is pipped to the post - by just 0.07 seconds - by Efimova and has to settle for the silver medal.
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