After a light schedule last night, the 2019 World Masters Championships kicked off its second day of competition in Gwangju with a diverse slate of events. Things are beginning to heat up in South Korea, as some of the most devoted members of the sport convene for an international show of talent, one that consistently turns heads around the globe.
Men’s 200 Back
Romania forced its name on the scene with an outstanding performance from Emil Dan Stoenescu, whose 6:01.94 locked down the gold medal for the 90-94 age division.
After an impressive showing last night, Germany resurfaced as a top contender, as Itze Ilgen cruised his way to a 3:56.81, seizing first by a wide margin.
Australia’s John Cocks claimed a decisive victory in for the 80-84 class, clocking in at 3:46.84 for the country’s first gold of the night.
Germany continued to dominate the event, tallying another gold after an impressive performance from Bernd Horstmann. The 75-79 age group victor clocked in at 2:59.75, the only man under 3:00 in his division.
Germany and Australia continued to trade wins, as Stephen Lamy posted a 3:01.61 for the win in the 70-74 division.
America’s Philipp Arthur Djang earned top honors in the 65-69 class, turning in a 2:44.72 to gain a healthy advantage over Australia’s Graeme Armstrong (2:51.22).
Brazil continued to establish its dominance with a win in the 60-64 age group, as Djan Madruga (2:34.68) and his compatriot Marcio Almeida (2:41.12) went 1-2 for the country.
Australia reclaimed its position on top with yet another win in the 55-59 division, as John Hawton went 2:26.47, bettering his closest competitor’s mark by two seconds.
South Africa earned its first gold of the meet courtesy of Gary Albertyn, whose 2:23.26 landed him at the top of the 50-54 class.
Germany’s Lars Kalenka sniffed the 45-49 age group world record of 2:11.56, dropping a 2:15.88 for the win.
Barbados proved small but mighty in the 40-44 age class, as Nicholas Alfred Neckles made history. Splitting a near perfect race, the island native cruised to an effortless 2:08.06, slashing Frederik C Hviid’s record of 2:11.13.
Brazil reemerged with another gold after Eduardo Ferreira Sevieri crashed the pads with a 2:10.24, surging ahead of the rest of the field to seize a decisive win in the 35-39 class.
Thomas Hollingsworth of Great Britain cinched a narrow win in the 30-35 group, throwing up a 2:09.78 to reserve the top step of the podium.
Japan’s Naritoshi Kurokawa took the top spot in the 25-29 age division with a 2:17.77, earning top honors with relative ease.
Women’s 200 Back
Hungary’s Katharina Flora started the women’s schedule with a bang, demolishing the previous 85-89 age division world record of 4:00.25 with a blazing 3:43.27.
Japan’s Yoshiko Osaki turned in a 3:53.96 to take the 80-84 division, coming home strong to earn a spot on the topmost step of the podium.
Denmark’s Elisabeth Ketelson dropped a 3:28.92 for the 75-79 age group win, cruising ahead of the rest of the field and jumping to an early lead.
Mexico’s Lili Vaca tallied her second gold of the meet, posting a 3:26.83 to steal away with the 70-74 win. America’s Cecilia McCloskey continued to represent the west, taking the 65-69 age group victory with a 2:59.90.
McCloskey’s compatriot, Bonnie Lynn Spivey, also earned her second gold medal in two events, as she surged to a 2:49.65 finish for the 60-64 age group win. Her teammate, Maria Espe Hung Oleksiuk, proceeded her with an equally impressive swim, churning out a 2:54.00 for the 55-59 age group win.
The U.S. continued its winning streak through Kristin Jan Gary, whose 2:34.13 landed her at the top of the 50-54 division.
Sweden quickly snapped the streak, as Cam Johansson-Sponseller finished with a 2:33.81 to take the 45-49 age group win, while Japan’s Machiko Iwashita threw down a 2:39.79 for the 40-44 victory.
Brazil furthered its impressive showing through Carla Horst Vaine, who earned top honors in the 35-39 division with a 2:30.53. Julie Laux from France followed up with a 2:30.14 to take the 30-34 age group with ease.
Turkey nabbed its first gold medal of the meet after an impressive performance from Ipek Yalki, who turned in a 2:28.55 to land herself at the top of the 25-29 age group.
Men’s 100 Free
Switzerland’s Josef Krejci locked down the gold medal in the 85-89 age division, clocking in at 1:46.22. Germany’s Werner Schnabel followed up with an impressive 1:21.89 to win the 80-84 age class, while Rudolf Smerda from the Czech Republic went 1:15.41 for the 75-79 division win.
The U.S. went 1-2 in the 70-74 age class, with Alan Bernard (1:06.81) at the head. The 65-69 race saw a similar fate, with Larry Bruce Krauseer and Tate Holt clocking in at 1:04.12 and 1:04.15, respectively.
The U.S. appeared unstoppable, as Thomas Taylor proceeded to clinch the 60-64 age group win with a 1:02.27. South Africa’s Calvin Maughan took down Fred Schuster (58.25) to end the run, earning the 55-59 age group gold with a 56.90.
Australia’s Mark Thompson cinched a narrow victory in the 50-54 division, stopping the clock at 56.25 for the win.
Japan’s Hideaki Hara followed up with a 52.24, resetting the world record in a climactic race to the finish. The previous 45-49 age group record was 53.66, set by Valtar Kalaus.
Marc Kevin Allan from South Africa touched in at 53.49 to take the 40-44 win, followed by an outstanding performance by Mikel Bildosola (51.93) in the 35-39 age group.
The Ukraine earned its first gold medal of the evening courtesy of Viacheslav Semhaikin, whose 52.36 landed him at the top of the 30-34 class.
Siwat Matangkapong from Thailand rounded out the event with an impressive victory of his own, winning the youngest division with a 52.18.
Women’s 100 Free
Dorothy Dickey furthered her already impressive individual schedule, as the Australia native cruised to a 1:55.90 for the 85-89 division win.
Germany continued to manhandle the competition with a stellar win from Heiga Reich, whose 1:39.82 landed her at the top of the 80-84 age class. Canada’s Georgina Lopez followed up with an elite swim in the 75-79 age class, as she crashed the pads with a 1:26.91.
South Africa put up an impressive showing all night, and Sanderina Kruger’s 1:15.31 swim in the 70-74 division was no exception.
The 65-69 class was loaded, with Jayne Stephenson (1:15.12) of Great Britain emerging as victor. Australia’s Brigid Tait took the next youngest sect, finishing with a 1:11.08 to edge out Spain’s Lola Balbuena Esparza (1:11.37).
Germany continued to frequent the top step of the medal podium. This time, it was Susanne Reibel-Oberle (1:03.68) who earned her shining moment with a win in the 55-59 age division.
Norway forced its name on the scene with an elite performance from Lise Lothe, whose 1:03.48 was good enough for the 50-54 win. Great Britain’s Michelle Ware (1:03.33) turned in an almost identical swim in the 45-49 age group, churning out an impressive final lap to lock up the win.
Katarina Hanusova from the Czech Republic ran away with the win in the 40-44 age division, surging home to a 1:02.23. An equally climactic race came in the 35-39 age class, as Cindy Ong from Singapore scored the nation’s first gold medal of the night with a 1:00.22.
Nathannan Junkrajang added to her accolades with another gold-medal performance in the 30-34 age class, clocking in at 56.89. Germany’s Carina Scharf turned in a 1:04.11 for the win in the 25-29 age class.
Men’s 100 Breast
Australia’s Bill Walker seized the 90-94 men’s 100 breast win with a 3:39.75; while his compatriot Patrick Galvin (1:58.33), the current world record holder for his age group, earned gold for the 85-89 class.
Tony Goodwin continued the Australian winning streak with a 1:34.63 to take the 80-84 age class, eclipsing the world record by two tenths.
Hungary snapped the streak with a narrow victory in the 75-79 class, as Gabor Somlai posted a 1:36.46 to earn top honors.
Australia couldn’t stay off the podium for long, so Leon Bobako churned out an impressive 1:28.44 in the 70-74 age division. Italy took the next age category, as Pere Balcells Prat (1:18.49) edged out Stuart Ellicott (1:18.69) of Australia.
Timur Podmarev of Russia went stroke for stroke with Olivier Borios of France in the 60-64 age category, emerging as victor with a time of 1:16.30.
Carlo Travaini of Italy took the next win for the 55-59 section, crashing the pads with a 1:07.65 after attaining a commanding lead. Not only was the performance gold-medal worthy, but it also shattered Travaini’s previous age group world record bu three tenths.
Feeding off this momentum, Travaini’s compatriot Alberto Montini (1:09.63) ran away with the 50-54 age group win, coming within striking distance of David Guthrie’s world record of 1:06.98.
Russia’s Sergei Firichenko surged down the center of the lane to stop the clocks at 1:07.71, earning top honors in the 45-49 age division. Japan’s Ryo Imai followed up with an impressive 1:05.61 of his own in the 40-44 class.
Piling on to an impressive showing this evening, Russia nabbed another gold medal courtesy of Pavel Buyanov, whose 1:03.89 landed him at the top of the 35-39 age division. Thailand’s Radomyos Matjiur came home in a 33.28 for a final time of 1:05.61, good enough for the win in the 30-34 section.
Japan’s Masafumi Yoshino sent the meet into its last event with a climactic victory in the 25-29 group, clocking in at 1:03.60.
Women’s 100 Breast
Germany began the women’s 100 breast with a 1-2 sweep. Ingrid Keusch-Renner (2:48.08) and Maren Piskora (2:52.18) represented their home country in outstanding fashion, dominating the 85-89 age class.
Brazil’s Cy Egypto Mazoni Andrade took the 80-84 division with a 2:01.73; while Great Britain’s Diane Maureen (1:43.77) was forced to fend off Daniela Barnea (1:44.84) for the 75-79 win.
Hungary’s Toth Magdolna Csanadine was the one to beat in the 70-74 age class, as she surged ahead of the rest of the field, finishing with a time of 1:41.65. Germany’s Ulrike Urbaniak followed with a competitive 1:37.11, as she managed to get her hand on the wall first in the 65-69 age class.
Britain’s Esther Iseppi put forth an impressive final 50 to take the 60-64 division win, touching in at 1:29.01. Her compatriot, Lynda Coggins, took care of the 55-59 competition, throwing up a 1:27.13.
Finland made its presence known following an outstanding performance from Anu Ilander, whose 1:25.60 set her at the top of the 50-54 age class. Great Britain’s Helen Gorman headed an English sweep of the 45-49 competition, locking down gold with a time of 1:15.25.
Croatia put its name on the radar, as Smiljana Marinovic manhandled the competition in the 40-44 age class, sprinting to a 1:14.47 to cinch the win. Germany’s Britta Weber scored another gold for the swimming powerhouse, clocking in at 1:24.39 to win the 35-39 division.
Sarra Lajnef from the United Arab Emirates earned the country its first medal of the meet, posting a 1:13.81 after gaining a healthy lead in the middle of the second 50. Spain’s Anna Diago Miravet rounded out the night with an impressive 1:14.49, seizing the win in the 25-29 class.
Taylor, Did you ever swim competitively?
“Feeding off this momentum, Travaini’s compatriot Alberto Montini (1:09.63) ran away with the 50-54 age group win, coming within striking distance of David Guthrie’s world record of 1:06.98.” Because he would have been almost three body lenghts behind Guthrie!
Thank you for keeping the non swimmers descriptions no “splashing their way to victory” etc. You cannot believe how that upsets real swimmers. They laugh at you when you do that stuff. Kind of like they do when swim suit catalogs use non swimmers with tiny little arms. Women look at those catalogs and laugh for hours as the models don’t have enough arms to even lift them selves out of the pool.
Wow. What a spectacularly rude and unkind comment, top down! Did you ever try to cover a swim meet (presumably not from on-site, even) and come up with interesting things to say for up to 15AG’s each, M/W, 3 events? Real coaches wouldn’t insult someone like this; it’s a terrible example to set!
One of the Americansis a close friend , and former neighbor of mine. His family is thrilled with his mention. I myself was a collegiate swimmer, and coached for many years. I personally enjoy an enthusiastic upbeat write up. I am also an attorney , and there are certain things you can do about the above situation. Not a good look for a grown man . I will contact you at some point.
Henry, No swimmer was attacked. I just do not like her writing style. NO other intern uses the terms she used.
Please tell me in swimming terms how “Germany continued to manhandle the competition”.
Is “ran away with the win ” a swimming term?
Taylor makes it seem like a country vs. country swim meet, it’s not. It is swimmer vs. swimmer and everyone loves the competition of other countries.
Of course you can always defend her comment “Feeding off this momentum, Travaini’s compatriot Alberto Montini (1:09.63) ran away with the 50-54 age group win, coming within striking distance of David Guthrie’s world record of 1:06.98.”
You won’t find the other interns writing including Taylors un-swim like comments, yet they are also upbeat and more informative. My issue is Taylors use of non swimming comments.
Hey, half my swim friends are lawyers, the other half attorneys.
You are a washed up Masters swim king, and have been for a long time, seeking attention. Begging to Coach. You are a disgrace , the kid doesn’t work for you, and personally nobody cares what you think. You are what a 70 something year old man, picking on kids . You’re a real man. I personally don’t care who your friends are, that doesn’t concern me. Why don’t you email or contact her personally, instead of being a cyber bully, and trying to feed your ego. Grow up , read the results if you don’t like what she writes. Nobody has to answer to you. Apparently the people she works for don’t have a problem with what she writes.
The report omits Georgina Lopez’s country: Canada! Yay! Congrats, Georgina! ?
I see that’s been rectified! Thanks!
Of course! Thanks for reading, Mary!