2008 Olympic gold medalist in the 10km marathon swim Maarten van der Weijden has improved upon the old World Record for distance swum in a 25m pool in 24 hours.

The 36-year old Dutchman swam 102.8km (63.8 miles) in 24 hours – that comes after last year, where a 99.5km (61.8 miles) effort came up just short of the record.

The old record was set in 1989 by Swede Anders Forvass of Sweden when he raced 101.9km (63.3 miles). Van der Weijden’s record has not been officially ratified by Guinness yet.

As incredible as the swim was, it was just the beginning for van der Weijden. After a short break to do some interviews and have some food, he continued on for another 12 hour swim – all in preparation for a planned 200km swim along side the track of the Elfstedentocht – a speedskating marathon in the province of Friesland.

His 200km swim is a fundraiser for cancer research. Van der Weijden, himself a survivor of leukemia, will allow the public to swim with him for a period of time during his swim for 11 euros.

For those wondering, swimming 102.8km in 24 hours is the same as holding an average pace of 1:24.05 (with rounding). </s> LONDON — A 33-year-old British endurance athlete stepped ashore on an English beach Sunday, becoming the first person to swim around the coast of Great Britain.

Ross Edgley spent 157 days in the water and covered 1,791 miles (2,883 kilometers). He swam in six-hour stints, sleeping in his support boat.

He was joined for the final mile by hundreds of fellow swimmers, coming ashore at Margate in southeast England — the spot where he began his journey on June 1.

Edgley, who had hoped to finish in 100 days, told family members who gathered on the beach to greet him: “Sorry I’m late.”

He said his main feeling on walking up the beach was “relief. I was really worried that my legs would give way.”

The World Open Water Swimming Association says Edgley endured spells of wild weather and was stung by jellyfish 37 times during his swim, which was sponsored by the energy drink Red Bull.

Organizers said Edgley also broke records for the longest staged sea swim – doubling the previous 73 days – and for the fastest swim between Britain’s southernmost and northernmost points, Land’s End and John O’Groats.

He covered the distance in 62 days. </s> JAKARTA, Aug 21 — China’s Liu Xiang set a new world record in the women’s 50 metres backstroke at the Asian Games today.

The 21-year-old clocked a time of 26.98 seconds — the first time a female swimmer has broken 27 seconds for the event — to take gold in Jakarta.

Liu, nicknamed “Swimming Goddess”, finished well ahead of team-mate Fu Yuanhui’s 27.68 and Japan’s Natsumi Sakai in 27.91 on the third evening of competition.

She claims the record held for nine years by fellow Chinese Jing Zhao, who clocked 27.06 at the 2009 world championships in Rome. — AFP </s> JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Liu Xiang of China has set a world record time of 26.98 seconds to win the women's 50-meter backstroke gold medal at the Asian Games.

Liu has become the first woman to swim under 27 seconds in the event, breaking the mark of 27.06 set by fellow Chinese swimmer Zhao Jing at the 2009 world championships in Rome.

Fu Yuanhui took silver in 27.68 in a 1-2 finish for China and Natsumi Sakai of Japan took bronze in 27.91.
The Dutch swimmer Maarten van der Weijden sets the 24-hour swimming record in a 25-meter pool at 102.8 kilometres (63.9 mi).