Swimmer breaks world record

IU senior swimmer Leila Vaziri set a world-record time in the 50-meter backstroke Wednesday at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. \nVaziri began the morning by swimming to an American record and top qualifying time of 28.25 in the preliminary heats. She then lowered her time to 28.16 in the semifinals to set the new world mark and finish the semifinals as the top qualifier. \nHer time beat the previous world record held by Germany’s Janine Pietsch by 0.03 seconds. \nVaziri is competing in her first world championships and is swimming the 50-meter backstroke for the first time at an international competition. \nThe senior leaves the IU program as one of its most decorated swimmers. As a freshman, she earned honorable mention All-America honors. She has earned 15 All-American honors in her career – the most in IU history – and took the bronze medal in the 100-yard backstroke March 10 at the NCAA championships in Minneapolis. \nShe will try for her first ever gold medal in the finals of the event scheduled for tonight.