World record broken twice in women's 100m backstroke

Natalie Coughlin waves to the crowd after setting a new world record. (Photo credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

(BEIJING, July 1) -- The world record in the women's 100m backstroke was broken twice in the preliminaries on Monday, June 30, at the second day of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.

Hayley McGregory first broke Natalie Coughlin's record with a time of 59.15 seconds, but Coughlin claimed it back just two minutes later in the following heat with a time of 59.03.

Coughlin was a five-time medal winner at the 2004 Athens Games; and McGregory, 22 years old, just set the American record for the women's 50m backstroke on June 7.