BEIJING — Federica Pellegrini of Italy has set a world record in the 200-meter freestyle preliminaries at the Beijing Olympics.

She won her heat Monday night in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds, lowering the old mark of 1:55.52 set by Laure Manaudou of France in March 2007.

Manaudou, the current world champion, did not attempt to qualify for the event at the French trials.

It was the eighth world record set during the swimming competition.