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Briton Peaty breaks 50 meters breaststroke world record

Adam Peaty of Britain celebrates after the men's 50m breaststroke semi-final at the European Swimming Championships in Berlin August 22, 2014. Peaty set a new world record with a time of 26.62. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

BERLIN (Reuters) - Teenage Briton Adam Peaty, competing at his second major international event, broke the 50 meters breaststroke world record in the European championships semi-finals on Friday. The 19-year-old, who won gold medals in Berlin in the 100 breaststroke and the 4x100 mixed medley, clocked a time of 26.62 seconds. The Englishman's effort eclipsed the previous record of 26.67 seconds set by South African Cameron van der Burgh in Rome in 2009. "I feel absolutely amazing. I had to look at that scoreboard about five times before I knew I had broken it," Peaty said. "I haven't broken a world record before so I don't know how it feels. Hopefully, it will sink in by Saturday so I can get my head down and hopefully get a better performance out of myself in the final. "It was not a perfect race due to my final touch so I can still improve tomorrow." Peaty also claimed two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month. (Writing by Tony Jimenez, editing by Ed Osmond)