BRISBANE, Australia (AP) 鈥� Ariarne Titmus set a world record in the women鈥檚 200-meter freestyle on Wednesday at Australia鈥檚 Olympic swimming trials.
Titmus finished in 1 minute, 52.23 seconds in the final, taking almost two-thirds of a second off set at last year鈥檚 world championships.
O鈥機allaghan placed second at the Australian titles in 1:52.48.
Titmus, the Olympic champion in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events, now holds the world records in both events.
鈥淗onestly, the world record is a bonus,鈥� she said. 鈥淚'm happy to finally put together a swim that I know I鈥檓 capable of and it鈥檚 exciting to do it in my home town, in front of a home-town crowd.鈥�
Titmus and O鈥機allaghan both work with the same coach, Dean Boxall.
鈥淲e really don鈥檛 see what each other is doing in training, we are very separate 鈥� she trains for the sprint events, I train for middle distance,鈥� Titmus said. 鈥淟ooking at a world record, I don鈥檛 look at who has it. I look at the time."
Titmus said a record wasn't 鈥渙n my radar鈥� so close to the Paris Olympics, which start July 26.
鈥淚 just wanted to put together a great swim and I have the chance to do it again in Paris," she said.
Australia's squad for the Olympics will be confirmed on the weekend, after the six-day trials at Brisbane's Chandler Aquatic Center.
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The Associated Press
