Rebecca Soni of the United States competes in a Women's 100M Breaststroke heat, at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Rome, Monday.
Rebecca Soni of the United States competes in a Women's 100M Breaststroke heat, at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Rome, Monday. Michael Sohn, Associated Press
By Associated Press

ROME (AP) — American Rebecca Soni has set the ninth world record of the swimming championships in the semifinals of the 100-meter breaststroke.

Soni touched with a time of 1 minute, 4.84 seconds in her heat Monday. That knocked off the record of 1:05.09 held since 2006 by Australia's Leisel Jones.

Six records were set on the opening night of the world championships, the last with high-tech bodysuits. Two more fell in the first two finals Monday, to Brenton Rickard of Australia in the 100 breast and Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden in the 100 butterfly.

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The biggest stunner, though, came in the 100 backstroke, where world-record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol failed to qualify for the final Tuesday.

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