Britta Steffen sets 42nd world record in 50 free

Rome:

Germany's Britta Steffen has set her third world record of the swimming championships, winning the 50-meter freestyle in 23.73 seconds. Forty-year-old American Dara Torres was last.

Steffen completed the 50-100 freestyle sweep in a blistering race, beating the mark of 23.96 held by Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands since April. Steffen broke the 100 free record twice in Rome, part of the staggering 42 world records set during the eight-day meet.

Sweden's Therese Alshammar also went under the old mark for silver (23.88). Australian teenager Cate Campbell got bronze in 23.99.

Torres failed to match her silver-medal showing from the Olympics. Bothered by a sore knee that will require surgery, she was eighth in 24.48.