The 2019 World Masters Championships kicked off its first night in Gwangju with a light schedule of events, featuring just the men’s and women’s 800 freestyle. The races were dense with talent, however, making for a climactic opener that set the swim community abuzz, teasing the rest of the week, as athletes prepare for the pinnacle of their summer seasons.
Women’s 800 Free
Dorothy Dickey of Australia turned in an 18:44.88 for the win in the women’s 85-89 age division, splitting a consistent race to land herself on the top step of the podium.
Dickey’s compatriot, Denise Robertson, stole the show in the 80-84 division, throwing up a 15:15.20 to seize the win with relative ease.
Elizabeth Ketelson from Denmark took the victory in the 75-79 age group, running away from the field with a 14:45.15.
Mexico’s Lili Vaca clocked in at 12:35.51 for the 70-74 win, gaining a commanding lead at the outset.
Laura Vaca of Mexico found herself on the top step of the podium with an 11:23.68 in the 65-69 age class.
The United States saw their first victory of the meet with an impeccable swim from Bonnie Lynn Spivey, whose 10:34.37 clocked in nearly fifty seconds faster than her closest competitor, earning her gold in the 60-64 division.
Germany’s Susanne Reibel-Oberle seized top honors with a 10:04.92 in the 55-59 age class, surging ahead of the field with an impeccable race strategy.
Reibel-Oberle’s compatriot, Claudia Thielemann, took the 50-54 division, crashing the pads with a 9:52.39 for a decisive victory.
Nicola Latty tallied Britain’s first gold medal of the night with her 10:16.55 in the 45-49 class, taking down the States’ top seed in Malena Hawkins (10:37.93).
Ceri Edwards made it two for England, greeted by a 9:34.54 at the finish to clinch the win in the 40-44 age category.
Germany continued to establish its dominance after a standout performance from Maike Grosch, whose 9:57.10 earned her top honors in the 35-39 class.
Thailand’s Natthanan Junkrajang was the woman to beat in the 30-34 class, as her time of 9:00.00 was nearly 42 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Pauline Vanet of France earned the country’s first gold of the evening with a 9:32.22 in the meet’s youngest 25-29 division, taking a commanding lead after the first 100 .
Men’s 800 Free
Josef Krejci of Switzerland turned heads in the 85-89 men’s division, as he built to a 17:18.75 finish to reserve the top step of the medal podium.
Spain’s Fred De Bruijn fended off his closest competitors in the final two laps, crashing the pads with a 13:37.21 for the win in the 80-84 age class.
De Bruijn’s compatriot, Joaquin Canales tallied the country’s second consecutive gold with a 13:00.31, winning the 75-79 division by a wide margin.
Australia forced its name back on the scene with an impressive performance by Gerry Tucker, whose 11:41.97 earned him top honors in the 70-74 class.
Israel’s first gold medal came courtesy of Dov Nisman, who split a near-perfect race to arrive at a 10:32.88, stealing the 65-69 win with ease.
It was Brazil’s Djan Madruga who stole away with the 60-64 win, clocking in at 9:45.78 as the only man under 10:00.00 in the class.
Puerto Rico exhibited strength in the 55-59 division, as Arnaldo Perez surged to a 9:12.55 finish, tallying the island’s first gold of the meet.
Australia continued to manhandle the competition with yet another stellar performance, this time from Mark Thompson, whose 8:59.55 was enough to earn him top honors in the 50-54 class. Dangerously close to Marcus Mattioli’s world record time of 8:55.05, Thompson will have much motivation for his training in the coming year.
Igor Piovesan from Italy ran away with the 45-49 age group, swimming a consistent race to arrive at a time of 8:53.84, the only man under 9:00 in the class.
Piovesan’s teammate, Nicola Nasato, took care of the next age division, posting an 8:35.85 for the 40-44 win.
Switzerland’s Julien Baillod came home in a 34.27 to drop a 9:09.78 for first in the 35-39 sect.
Matteo Montanari of Italy was the man to beat in the 30-34 division, as he seized the victory with a time of 8:28.77.
Japan earned a spot on the medal podium by way of Takuto Kitayama’s performance, as the distance stalwart stroked to an 8:33.41 finish, edging out Thailand’s Siway Matangkapong by two tenths of a second for the 25-29 age group win.
Nisman was Israel’s first pool gold. But he also landed gold three days earlier in the open water 3000 meters. Watch for more to come.
I have my work cut out for me.
That is my race.
En hora buena hermanas Baca… Felicidades campeonas