MELBOURNE, Sept 2: Matt Welsh set a world record of 23.31 seconds for the men’s 50 metres backstroke at the Australian short-course swimming championships Monday.

Welsh bettered the previous world record of 23.42 set by Neil Walker of the United States in March 2000.

In peak fitness after competing at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and the Pan Pacific championships in Yokohama, Welsh slashed 0.11 seconds off Walker’s old mark after narrowly missing the record in the semifinals.

Welsh won three gold medals in Manchester but he was disqualified from the 200m backstroke after a false start in his heat.

The 25-year-old was also disqualified from the 100m in Yokohama and said he was nervously eyeing the scoreboard for the dreaded “dsq” symbol after Monday’s record-breaking swim.

Welsh is hoping to help set a second world record on Wednesday when he teams up with Ashley Callus, Jim Piper and Geoff Huegill for an assault on the 4x100m medley relay mark.

Normally at national championships the relays are contested by state and club teams but the Australian foursome has been given permission to have a shot at the world record.—Reuters