USC-bound swimmer breaks world record at Paralympic championships

Heading into the second day of competition on Thursday, the U.S. Paralympic team is riding a big wave of momentum at the 2014 Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships in Pasadena.

American swimmers won 27 medals on Wednesday, highlighted by Ian Silverman breaking a world record that had stood for more than a decade.

The USC-bound Silverman eclipsed the mark in the S10 category of the 400-meter freestyle. His time of 4:03.57 broke the record of 4:04.20 set in 2001.

“I really can’t even put it into words what it means to finally get that one,” he said. “I’ve been close to it before, really close, and I am really happy to start my week with that world record.”

There were other notable performances at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center on Wednesday, with Brazil’s Daniel Dias, Australia’s Kayla Clark and Taylor Corry and a Canadian relay team also setting new records.

Lucas McCrory, brother of Olympic medalist diver Nick McCrory, took silver in the S7 400-meter freestyle. For more-detailed coverage of the McCrory siblings, check latimes.com later Thursday.

The championships are scheduled to continue through Sunday.