And the records keep tumbling in tech-overdrive year: Julia Smit (USA) shattered the 400m medley short-course global standard tonight at the Canada Cup in Toronto. 

Smit clocked 4:25.87, inside the 4:26.52 in which US-based Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry swam to victory at the 2008 World s/c Champs in Manchester in April.

"I stayed relaxed after this morning's swim as I knew I had lot more in me," said Smit, 20, who won two relay medals at the Olympic Games in Beijing and races for Stanford University in California (a team kitted out in the Blueseventy: some observers said that Smit was wearing one of the B70 suits, some say it was an LZR; perhaps it was both, a practice that was first noticed at the US Olympic trials at a time when the world governing body maintained that there was no problem in the sport). "It was amazing hearing all the Canadians cheering me on! After my swim in the prelims I knew there was a possibility for the world record but it’s still a surprise. I got a real boost from the crowd in the second half of the race and I finished the breaststroke and freestyle legs really well.  With my success at the Olympics I started this season with a lot of confidence.’’

The splits compared: 

• Smit: 28.88, 1:01.28 (32.40), 1:35.17 (33.89), 2:08.25 (33.08), 2:46.18 (37.93), 3:24.76 (38.58), 3:55.49 (30.73), 4:25.87 (30.38) 
  
• Coventry: 29.28, 1:02.38 (33.10), 1:35.49 (33.11), 2:07.81 (32.32), 2:45.66 (37.85), 3:24.58 (38.92), 3:56.18 (31.60), 4:26.52 (30.34) 

Smit, 21, has made the following progress short-course:

• 2006 best: 4:35.64
  
• 2005 best: 4:37.10
  
• 2004 best: 4:36.18

Elsewhere Annamay Pierse, of Vancouver, and Jennifer Carroll, of Montreal, broke Canadian s/c records. Pierse improved her own 100m breaststroke standard with a 1:06.23 effort behind Tara Kirk (USA), on 1:05.52."It's.a good start for the 2009 season,’’ said Pierse, who is coached by Jozseph Nagy, Canadian coach of the year.  ‘’I'm really having fun here.’’

In the 50m butterfly, Carroll clocked 26.52, 0.17sec inside her pervious national standard, while Erica Morningstar, of Calgary, clocked 53.32 in the 100m freestyle.