The United States Paralympic Swimming community came together for the eighth year in a row to honor its late national team coach Jimi Flowers with the Jimi Flowers Classic held in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The meet is named and held in honor of Flowers, who died in 2009 during a rock climbing accident.
This year, the 2017 Jimi Flowers Classic hosted numerous talented para-swimmers, including Paralympic gold medalist Ellie Marks. Marks, who claimed gold in the SB7 100 breast and bronze in the 34-point 400 medley relay in Rio, broke World Records in the 50 meter and 200 meter breaststroke.
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She started off the meet with the record in the SB7 200 breast posting a 2:12.72, besting the old record by 2.24 seconds. It was formerly held by Lisa den Braber of the Netherlands since 2015.
In the 50 breast, Marks clocked in at 40.79 for the SB7 World Record by .42 seconds. She set the previous record in January of last year.
Marks also holds the 100 breast World Record at 1:28.13, set in Rio. She did not compete in this event in Colorado.
The Classic also featured U.S. World Record holders Michelle Konkoly and Robert Griswold. Konkoly posted a 29.12 50 meter free, 1:03.52 100 meter free and 34.82 50 meter fly all in the S9 category. Griswold raced to an S7 1:05.80 in the 100 back, 1:07.17 in the 100 fly, and a 2:17.51 200 free. The latter is just three tenths off the World Record set by Great Britain’s Jonathan Fox in 2012.
Photo Courtesy: Kevin McCarthy
Marks joins the long list of swimmers across the world breaking Para World Records this season. The five-part Para Swimming World Series has already featured records from Alice Tai and Bethany Firth of Great Britain and Arnost Petracek of the Czech Republic. All three records were set at the third stop in Sheffield, Great Britain.
The next stop of the series will be held in Indianapolis, IN USA. The meet will feature Marks along with other American para swimming stars from June 9-11. The Series will then head to Berlin, Germany July 6-9 before swimmers from around the globe head to the 2017 Para Swimming World Championships from September 30-October 6 in Mexico City.
Full results from the 2017 Jimi Flowers Classic can be found here.
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