Liu Zige breaks women's 200m butterfly world record

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An Olympic swimming champion demolished a world record at the National Games. China's Liu Zige re-set the mark during the women's 200 meter butterfly final in Shandong province.

Liu Zige won the 200m butterfly for China's only swimming gold at last year's Beijing games, wiping over one second off the then-world best set by Australian Jessica Schipper in 2006. This time, Liu's splash of speed lit up the swimming pool again. The Chinese swimming sensation dominated from the beginning, and roared through the water to secure the win in an amazing 2 minutes, 1.81 seconds.

The result shaved over two seconds off the previous world mark Schipper set at the Rome World Championships last summer. Beijing Olympic runner-up Jiao Liuyang finished nearly four seconds behind for the silver medal. The bronze medal went to Kong Jie from the P-L-A.

Liu Zige from Shanghai competes during women's 200m butterfly final of  swimming at the 11th Chinese National Games in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 21, 2009. Liu won the gold with 2 minutes and 01.81 seconds, and exceeded the world record of the event.(Xinhua photo)