Records Aren’t Old to Beard

She has been racing at a world-class level for more than seven years, but Amanda Beard is still only 21 years old.

Now there is another number associated with Beard: 2 minutes 22.29 seconds.

Beard continued her odyssey through the pool, winning the gold medal in the 200-meter breaststroke on Friday night at the world swimming championships, and tying the world mark established by Hui Qi of China in April 2001.

Conventional wisdom has breaststrokers packing up their goggles and moving on after high school. Beard, who won two silver medals at the 1996 Olympics, is trashing that concept, recording the best times of her career and swimming a “perfect race,” according to her coach, Frank Busch of Arizona.

“People think I’ve been around for 200 years,” said Beard, beaming. “They’re really surprised I’m still only 21. It’s a great feeling, I don’t mind it. I want to be around for 200 more years.”

She reveled in racing 17-year-old Leisel Jones of Australia, who finished second in 2:24.33.

Jones set the world record in the 100 breaststroke in the semifinals but took third in the 100 final.

Beard placed second in the 100, saying she made the mistake of focusing on Jones, which didn’t happen Friday.

Beard led the second half of the race and put her hand over her mouth in amazement when she looked up at the scoreboard and spotted the time, world record and finish.

“I really didn’t expect that at all,” said Beard, who grew up in Irvine but now lives in Tucson. “I knew that world record could be around for a while.”