Japan's Irie breaks 200m backstroke record

Japan's Ryosuke Irie has set a new world record in the men's 200-meter backstroke at a Japanese-Australian competition in Canberra. The 19-year-old touched the wall at one minute, 52.86 seconds in the Duel in the Pool meet between Japan and Australia, slashing 1.08 seconds of the previous world record set by American Ryan Lochte in the Beijing Olympics last year. "I couldn't think I could go that fast," Irie told Australian television, speaking through a translator. "I can say only one phrase: unbelievable." Irie finished fifth behind Lochte in Beijing, but managed to come within 0.08 second of the American's world record at the Japanese World Championship trials three weeks ago. Irie, who won Sunday's race by more than five seconds from the runner-up, promises to set a new world record at this year's World Championships in Rome.