KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Paralympics swimming star Sophie Pascoe has smashed the 100m backstroke world record on her way to qualifying for tonight's final at Beijing.
Pascoe clocked one minute, 11.26 seconds in her heat, nearly three seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Emma Cattle from Britain.
The previous world mark was 1min 12.25sec set at the Athens Paralympics four years ago.
Pascoe, 15, the youngest member of the New Zealand contingent, was to race the final at 10.35pm (NZ time) today.
She has already has already bagged gold medals from the 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley and a silver in the 100m butterfly.
Also making his final was Waitakere's Daniel Sharp who is the sixth qualifier in his 100m breaststroke final.
Sharp finished third in his heat in a time of 1min 10.92sec. His final is at 10.55pm.
In other event earlier today, hand cyclist Annemarie Donaldson finished 11th in the road race.
Other New Zealanders in action tonight are Jess Hamill from Southland in the javelin, Tim Prendergast in the 1500m final and the Wheelblacks take on Australia in wheelchair rugby.
- NZPA