Canada's MacNeil betters own 50m backstroke short course world record

Canada's Maggie MacNeil broke her own short course world record in the women's 50 metres backstroke to win gold at the world championships in Melbourne on Friday.

MacNeil, who won 100m butterfly gold at the Tokyo Olympics, clocked 25.25 to shave 0.02 seconds off her previous mark, which was set at the previous edition of the championships in Abu Dhabi last year.

American Claire Curzan took silver, while Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan bagged bronze.

Earlier on Friday, France won the gold medal in the mixed 4x50m freestyle relay in a world record time of 1:27.33, bettering the United States' previous time of 1:27.89.

Melbourne is hosting the short course championships after Kazan was stripped of the event over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The event began on Dec. 13, and will run through to Dec. 18.