ORLANDO, Florida/WALNUT CREEK, California, October 18. MASTERS world records were set on both coasts of the United States last weekend at the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic in Orlando, Fla., and the Pacific Masters Championships in Walnut Creek, Calif. Both meets were held in short course meters format. For full SwimmingWorld.TV coverage of the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic, visit the Event Landing Page.
Steve Wood set two world records in the 50-54 age group at the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic, resetting the marks in the 50 back (27.78) and 100 back (59.92). The former records were held by Jamie Fowler, and were 28.37 in the 50 and 1:00.38 in the 100. Tom Barton also set a world record in the 100 backstroke, with his coming in the 55-59 age group. Barton's time of 1:03.29 broke the existing mark of 1:03.75 set by Philipp Djang.
Gaines set an individual world record while running the meet that bears his name. While leading off the world record-setting men's 800 free relay for Team Blu Frog, Gaines swam a 1:54.61 to break Bob Bugg's record of 1:56.75 in the 50-54 age group.
Watch footage of Steve Wood's 50 backstroke world record.
Watch footage of Steve Wood's 100 backstroke world record.
In addition to Wood's and Gaines' world records, 10 relay world records were set in Orlando:
Men 200-239 800 freestyle relay: Team Blu Frog (Rowdy Gaines, Charlie Lydecker, Tim Buckley, Keith Switzer), 8:03.40 (old record: 8:16.30)
Men 280-319 800 freestyle relay: Gold Coast Masters (Jose Ferraz, Cav Cavanaugh, Howard Rolston, David Quiggin), 10:28.15 (old record: 11:31.11)
Mixed 200-239 800 freestyle relay: Team Blu Frog (Ross Bohlken, Cathy Shonkwiler, Eney Jones, Keith Switzer), 8:53.46 (old record: 9:08.54)
Mixed 200-239 200 freestyle relay: Team Blu Frog (Rowdy Gaines, Cathy Shonkwiler, Eney Jones, Scot Weiss), 1:47.43 (old record: 1:48.74)
Men 200-239 200 medley relay: Team Blu Frog (Martin Zubero, Mike Unger, Marc Middleton, Rowdy Gaines), 1:49.67 (old record: 1:51.93) (Race footage)
Women 240-279 200 medley relay: Gold Coast Masters (Maureen Hughes, Danielle Ogier, Pat Sargeant, Jeannie Mitchell), 2:29.05 (old record: 2:29.87)
Women 160-199 400 medley relay: Team Blu Frog (Cathy Shonkwiler, Tracey McFarlane, Brooke Bennett, Eney Jones), 4:46.62 (old record: 5:01.25)
Men 200-239 400 medley relay: Team Blu Frog (Steve Wood, Mike Unger, Marc Middleton, Rowdy Gaines), 4:09.29 (old record: 4:11.46)
Mixed 200-239 400 freestyle relay: Team Blu Frog (Charlie Lydecker, Eney Jones, cathy Shonkwiler, Rowdy Gaines), 3:57.16 (old record: 4;05.67)
Men 200-239 400 freestyle relay: Team Blu Frog (Charlie Lydecker, Ross Bohlken, Keith Switzer, Rowdy Gaines), 3:40.26 (old record: 3:47.01) (Race footage)
Over in California, Laura Val was responsible for five new world records in the 60-64 age group:
100 back, 1:15.51 (old record: 1:20.02)
200 IM, 2:44.01 (old record: 2:55.72)
100 fly, 1:12.67 (old record: 1:16.41)
100 IM, 1:16.66 (old record: 1:19.09)
400 free, 4:55.54 (old record: 5:22.47)
Tim Broderick of Stanford Masters also got in on the individual world record-breaking action, setting a new mark in the men's 200 IM for the 60-64 age group with a time of 2:28.47, erasing the 2:30.38 set by John Calvert.
Following is a list of relay world records set at the Pacific Masters championships:
Mixed 120-159 800 Freestyle Relay, 8:28.22 by Walnut Creek Masters (Santos, Zamanian, Beaudreau, Nonaka) (old record: 8:38.70)
Women 200-239 400 Freestyle Relay, 4:33.91 by Walnut Creek Masters (Osborn, Murphy, O'Brien, Curran) (old record: 4:36.08)
Notably, many Olympians made their Masters swimming debuts at both meets. Natalie Coughlin swam at the Pacific Masters meet, and elected to swim exhibition in order to keep her times from being counted as Masters world records. Swimming World has learned that she swam the 100 back (1:01), 100 free (57) and 200 IM (2:15). Anthony Ervin, the co-champion in the 50 free at the 2000 Olympics, swam a 22.39 in the 50 free, nearly breaking the world record in the event in the 30-34 age group, which is 22.13 by Thomas Rupprath.
At the Rowdy Gaines meet, such Olympians as Brooke Bennett and Tracey McFarlane were making their Masters swimming debuts, and set relay world records in their return to competition. Martin Zubero was a world record-setter in the backstroke and IM events in his 30s, and is now returning to Masters as a 42-year-old, helping team Blu Frog to a relay world record.