Boyle smashes world record

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lauren Boyle set a world record in the 1500m freestyle at the Wellington Winter Championships.

Boyle, preparing for this month's Pan Pacific Championships on the Gold Coast, clocked 15min 22.68sec in a superb solo swim at the short course championships on Saturday.

She was more than four seconds under the previous record set by Mareia Belmonte Garcia late last year at the Spanish short course championships.

Boyle, who won gold over 400m and silver in the 800m at Glasgow, went through the 800m mark in 8:08.05.

She will contest the 1500m freestyle on the final day of the Pan Pacific Championships where she will go up against a strong field including American teenager Katie Ledecky, who recently broke the long course world record over the distance in 15:34.23.

Boyle's record is subject to ratification by the world body Fina following a mandatory doping test and an official survey of the pool at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre.