RUSSIAN Sludnov breaks men's 100-meter breaststroke world record

<br>MOSCOW (AP) _ Russian swimmer Roman Sludnov became the first person to swim the 100-meter breaststroke in under a minute Friday, breaking a world record for the second time in two days at the national

Friday, June 29th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MOSCOW (AP) _ Russian swimmer Roman Sludnov became the first person to swim the 100-meter breaststroke in under a minute Friday, breaking a world record for the second time in two days at the national championships in Moscow.

The 21-year-old Sludnov, a student from the Siberian city of Omsk, finished in 00:59.97 on Friday. On Thursday, he broke American Ed Moses' record by three-hundredths of a second by finishing in 1:00.26 in a championship semifinal.

``With my coaches we had decided that my aim now was to be the first to swim in under one minute,'' an elated Sludnov told reporters. ``After the first 50 meters I looked for a second on the score board and understood that I could beat my record of yesterday.''

Still, he said, ``I did not realize what had happened.''

Sludnov's mother and coach Natalia Roshchina told the daily Sport Express in an interview published Friday that Sludnov took a long break after last year's Olympics and resumed training only in January.

The Russian championships at Moscow's Olimpiisky stadium are a qualifier for next month's world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

``I am extremely happy that it happened in Moscow at the Russian championship,'' Sludnov said.

Roshchina said Sludnov is planning to take part in the 100-meter and 50-meter breaststroke events in Fukuoka.