Libby Lenton has retained a lawyer to appeal FINA’s decsions not to ratify her record-breaking 100m freestyle swim. Lenton clocked a 52.99 in the Duel in the Pool exhibition meet between the US and Australian national teams in Melbourne. This broke Britta Steffen’s current world standard of 53.30.
FINA refused to ratify the time as a world record because Lenton’s swim was a lead-off in a 4 x 100 mixed relay, which isn’t an event recognized by the governing body.
Lenton has retained the services of Tony O’Reilly, the same lawyer currently representing Ian Thrope in his battle to clear his name after a failed dope test.