Athens, March 20: There were so many of them it was a record in itself. Sweden's Lars Frolander, Neil Walker of the United States, and Russia's Roman Sloudnov added three new World records on Sunday for a total of 15 at swimming's World Shortcourse Championships.Walker's 50.75 sec shaved better than one-half second off the 100-metre backstroke record, shattering the previous 51.28 set by countryman Lenny Krayzelburg last month in Berlin. It also gave the 23-year-old his fifth World record.In the 200-metre breaststroke, Sloudnov set a new World mark of 2:07.59, breaking the record set seven years ago by countryman Andrei Korneev. On Friday, Sloudnov set a new record in the 100-metre breaststroke.Frolander had a chance for another in the 50m butterfly final, but scratched to concentrate on the 100 freestyle, which he won after seriously challenging the record held by Russia's Alexander Popov since 1994. He took the freestyle in 46.80, just 0.16 slower than the world mark.Sweden's Therese Alshammar set records in the women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle, while the men's team set a new mark in the 400 metre relay.During the meet, Frolander also set marks in the qualifier and semifinal of the 100-metre butterfly in which he won the gold, and swam with the record 400 metre freestyle relay team.Walker set records in the 50 metre backstroke, the 100 medley, and as part of the United States 4x200 freestyle relay team.Walker also broke seven American records and six meet records. But he finished second in Sunday's 50-metre butterfly final, behind Britain's Mark Foster (23.30 sec). Walker's 23.46 put him just ahead of fellow American Mohammed Sabir, third in 23.56.Jenny Thompson of the United States, who set a record in Saturday's semifinals of the women's 100m Butterfly, also failed to better her own mark in the final. She finished first in 57.67 sec, nearly one second of her record 56.56.Sweden's Johanna Sjoberg was second in 57.96 and Karen Campbell of the United States was third in 58.86 sec. British women also set a record in the 4x100M freestyle relay.Most experts agree 25-metre records have been falling because of the sport's young age - it only became a world championship event in 1993 - its rapid maturity, and different techniques used in a pool which is half the size of the Olympic standard.Swimmers, which can use the many turns for extra speed and a slight breather, have also starting `shaving and tapering,' or peaking, for the meet. The Athens Championships were also the last global competition and big tune-up before Sydney.A $15,000 prize for every new World record also helps. Walker goes home with $ 63,750 and five watches worth about $ 2,000 each supplied by one of the sponsors.It is unclear how many records would have fallen if Australia had brought their best team here and other nations, such as China, Japan, and even the United States, sent their full Olympic squads.Australian champions Klim, Grant Hackett, Ian Thorpe and Susan O'Neil, all decided to stay home to prepare for National competitions.That left out World record-holders in the 400m and 1,500m freestyles, 50 and 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle and women's 200m Butterfly. Some of their records have already fallen here, including their dominant mark in the men's 800-metre freestyle.
