Pan Pacific Swimming Championships : Jager Beats Biondi’s 50-Meter Record With a Time of 22.32

Tom Jager’s 50-meter freestyle world record highlighted the United States’ domination of the first night of finals in the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Thursday. American swimmers won six of eight finals.

Jager, of Collinsville, Ill., trimmed one-hundredth of a second off the old mark held by teammate Matt Biondi, winning in 22.32 seconds.

Biondi was second in 22.61, with Australian Andrew Baildon third in 23.45.

“I usually don’t get excited, but this is great,” said Jager, a UCLA graduate who has had an intense rivalry with Biondi.

Other American winners were Anna Pettis-Scott, 26.16 in the women’s 50-meter freestyle; Melvin Stewart, 1:58.05 in the men’s 200 butterfly; Kelley Davies, 2:12.51 in the women’s 200 butterfly; Craig Oppel, 1:49.12 in the men’s 200 freestyle, and Mitzi Kremer, 2:01.34 in the women’s 200 freestyle.

The run of American successes was interrupted by Australian Nicole Livingstone and Canadian Mark Tewksbury, who broke their own commonwealth records in winning their respective 100-meter backstroke titles.

Livingstone finished in 1:02.64, while Tewksbury was timed in 55.89.