PHOENIX, Arizona, December 14. ELEVEN Masters world records were broken by six swimmers over the weekend at the New England Masters short course meters championships.
Tim Shead and Chris Stevenson each broke three world records. Shead, a former USA Swimming national team member now living in South Africa, returned to the States and reset his own world record in the 55-59 age group in the 100 IM (1:03.48). He also set new marks in the 50 breast (31.82) and 200 breast (2:36.90). Shead swims for Gold Coast Masters.
Stevenson, who represented Greece in the 1984 Olympics, completed a hat trick of records in the backstroke events for the 45-49 age group. Representing Virginia Masters, he reset his own records in the 100 back (57.00) and 200 back (2:05.54), and set a new mark in the 50 back (27.02).
Stevenson swam faster than the world record in the 50 butterfly, but was touched out by four-hundredths of a second by Fritz Bedford, who now owns the record at 25.74.
Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, who is a candidate for her fourth-straight appearance on the Swimming World Magazine list of the Masters world swimmers of the year, lowered her own world records in the 100 fly (1:03.96) and 200 fly (2:23.18) for the 45-49 age group representing San Diego Swim Masters.
Mike Ross, a former NCAA All-American for Princeton, broke his world record in the 50 back for the 40-44 age group with a 25.53 as a leadoff swimmer for the Maine Masters 200 medley relay.
Greg Shaw, swimming unattached, lowered his world record in the 50 fly in the 55-59 age group by three-hundredths of a second with a 26.93.
For meet results, click here.