Lithuanian teen wins women’s 100 breaststroke; Jessica Hardy third

The star-studded field of the women’s 100-meter breaststroke final on Tuesday featured reigning Olympic gold medalist and newly minted world-record holder Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania and former world-record holder Jessica Hardy of Long Beach.

Meilutyte made a spirited bid at her own mark – set on Monday in the semifinals – and came close, winning in 1 minute 04.42 seconds at the World Swimming Championships in Barcelona. The 16-year-old, who trains in Plymouth, England, was seven-hundredths off Monday’s world-record time.

Hardy took the bronze in 1:05.52.

“I had a lot lower expectations coming into this meet,” said Hardy, via quotes supplied by USA Swimming’s PR staff. “I don’t know if that’s the right way to say it. But I’m really surprised with how this meet has gone so far. To win a medal in (this event) is really fun after not swimming it for a while.

“It was a really fun race. ... It’s the kind of race I’ll remember forever because it was the fastest field I’ve ever swum in.”

In 2009, Hardy set the world record in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.45) in Federal Way, Wash. She made the 2012 Olympic team in two individual sprint events and two relays but not the 100 breaststroke event.

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