Bree braced for final flourish

ANDREW BREE said he was going to have to blow his personal best to get through to the semi-final of the 200m breaststroke at the Olympic Aquatic Centre, and he did just that yesterday when he set a new national record at 2:10.91, knocking more than two seconds off his old mark.

This morning he was lining up alongside world record holder Kosuke Kitajima (Japan), 2:07.51, in the first of the two semi-finals, with Daniel Gyurta (Hungary) who set the Olympic record at 2:08.68 last night, in the other heat.

“I was on pace with all my strokes today,” said Bree who led at every turn. “I was smoother tonight. I felt good – 200 is my stroke – when I try and sprint it I don’t know what I’m doing so it is good to get into my stroke. I know that race inside out. It is good to get rid of that 2:13. It’s been hanging around for a while. I always knew I was going to go faster but it is good to get into the 2:10’s.