PLYMOUTH Leander’s Ruta Meilutyte set the fastest time in the world this year for the 100m breaststroke with a stunning 1:05.46 at the Mare Nostrum series in Canet-en-Roussillon, France.

World, Olympic and European champion Meilutyte knocked nearly half a second off Yuliya Efimova’s previous best 2015 mark of 1:05.89.

Denmark’s 200m world record holder Rikke Moller Pedersen was second in the Canet race on Saturday evening, clocking 1:07.69.

It was the perfect way for the Plymouth College pupil, who is the world record holder in that event, to warm-up for this summer’s World Championships in Kazan.

Meanwhile, Meilutyte’s Leander team-mates Ben Proud and Mindaugas Sadauskas came fourth and seventh in the men’s 50m freestyle on the first day of the meet.

Great Britain star Proud clocked 22.41 and Lithuanian Sadauskas 22.79.

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