Paralympic Star Breaks World Record in Wellington

Paralympic star Sophie Pascoe was back in world record breaking mode at the Swimming NZ Age Group Championships in Wellington.

Pascoe, 15, broke her own world record in the 100m backstroke at the Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre. She recorded 1:09:94 in the AWD S10 class, which took more than half a second off the world record she set at the Beijing Paralympics.

The Christchurch schoolgirl, won three gold medals and a silver medal in Beijing, will be contesting the final of the 100m butterfly tonight.

The event also comprises the New Zealand Disabled Championships.

Beijing Olympian Daniel Bell (West Auckland) has also been in record-setting mode, breaking his own New Zealand open records for the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly. Bell clocked 25.69 in winning the 50m backstroke and 23.51 in the 50m butterfly.

There have also been 10 national age group records broken to date in the championships which have attracted 677 swimmers from 13 to 18 years. It finishes tomorrow.