Record-breaking relief

ROME — Aaron Peirsol responded in a big way Friday at the FINA World Championships.

The former Newport Harbor High standout, who had suffered disappointment Monday, smashed his own world record in the 200-meter backstroke, breaking the former mark by more than a full second. Peirsol, who failed to advance in the 100 back final Monday, touched the wall in 1 minute, 51.92 seconds in the 200 back, wiping out the time of 1:53.08 he set at the national meet three weeks ago.

“I had a lot of waiting around to do during this meet, and to swim so well in that final makes me feel really good,” Peirsol told the Associated Press.

Japan’s Ryosuke Irie also went under the old record (1:52.51), but didn’t come close to Peirsol.

“I wanted to race,” Peirsol said. “I pulled out from the beginning and I was feeling all right. When I kept pulling away, there was even more of a fire to go a little faster.”

At the world championships, Peirsol’s record is one of 35 that have fallen.

He continues today in the preliminaries of the 50 back.

— From staff reports