Kitajima wins 100m breaststroke gold

BEIJING (Reuters) - Japan's Kosuke Kitajima demolished the world record to become the first swimmer to win Olympic 100 meters breaststroke gold at successive Games on Monday.

Kitajima, who won both 100 and 200 golds in Athens in 2004, touched in 58.91 seconds to slice 0.22 off the world mark of 59.13 set by world champion Brendan Hansen of the United States two years ago.

European champion Alexander Dale Oen, who twice broke the Olympic record in the heats, won silver in 59.20 to hand Norway their first Olympic swimming medal.

France's Hugues Duboscq, the bronze medalist in Athens, again finished third in 59.37 to keep Hansen off the podium in fourth place.

"It was perfect. It was the ideal race. I've been looking forward for these Olympics for so long," said Kitajima.

"I give my respect to Dale Oen. This time I got to the wall first but on another day but it could have been him.

"He is a great threat to me. I felt special in Athens, I feel special again."

Hansen, who finished runner-up to Asia's most decorated swimmer in Athens in one of the great rivalries of those Games, saluted his old foe.

"You definitely had to bring your 'A' game tonight to win a medal and those three guys who beat me did," said Hansen.

"World records are going like they're the easiest things in the world to do and it's not. It's been awesome, everyone swimming fast.

"I'm not surprised by Kitajima, he's really fast. I told him it was awesome. You have to tip your hat to a guy who can race like that, it's a hell of a swim in a pressure-packed race. He's a true champion."

The American said he would be back, however.

"That's not the last you'll see of me. I'm going to bring it back and I won't be done until I at least have a legitimate shot at those world records again," he declared.

Oen had been ahead at the first turn, 0.19 off world record pace, but Kitajima turned on the boosters on the home leg to retain his title as the Norwegian faded.

The Japanese already held the 200 world record.

Duboscq was happy with third.

"I have no regret. My goal was to swim the first 50 meters in 17 strokes. I did just that and I knew that the return leg was my strength, it's my weapon," said the Frenchman.

"I didn't panic, Kosuke was too strong, he started fast and finished fast."

(Additional reporting by Martin Petty and Yuka Obayashi, Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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