LONG BEACH, California, December 8. SEVENTEEN individual and three relay world records were set last weekend at the Southern Pacific Masters short course meters regional championships.
Charlotte Davis of Pacific Northwest was responsible for six of the individual world records set. The 60-year-old set new marks in the butterfly, freestyle and individual medley events for the 60-64 age group.
Jim McConica of Ventura County Masters capped off an amazing year with five Masters world records of his own in the 60-64 age group. McConica was part of the Guinness world record-setting relay team that swam 202 miles nonstop down the California coastline in September.
Rich Abrahams of Colorado Masters was another multiple world record setter, breaking three records in the 65-69 age group to add to the scores of world records he owns in previous age groups.
Also swimming at the meet was 2000 Olympic gold and silver medalist Ed Moses, who recently announced his return to the pool. Moses, 30, didn't break any records with his times in the breaststroke events (29.04 in 50, 1:02.18 in 100, 2:18.70 in 200), but it marked his official return to competitive swimming.
Below is the breakdown of world records set at the meet.
30-34 age group
Dawn Heckman (33), 8:49.93 in women's 800 freestyle (old record: 8:55.90, Hitomi Matsuda, 2008)
35-39 age group
Steve West (38), 2:15.90 in men's 200 breaststroke (old record: 2:1649, Nick Gillingham, 2004)
60-64 age group
Charlotte Davis (60)
Women's 200 IM: 2:48.33 (old record: 2:55.72, Bonnie Pronk, 2002)
Women's 100 free: 1:06.58 (old record: 1:07.22, Maria del Rosario de Vivanco, 2009)
Women's 50 fly: 33.30 (old record: 33.38, Judy Wilson, 2004)
Women's 50 free: 30.01 (old record: 30.70, Lynette Stevenson, 2009)
Women's 400 IM: 5:57.70 (old record: 6:15.26, Barbara Dunbar, 2009)
Women's 100 IM: 1:17.48 (old record: 1:19.09, Brigitte Merten, 2006)
Jim McConica (60)
Men's 1500 free: 18:24.21 (old record: 18:28.64, Jim Clemmons, January 2010)
Men's 200 back: 2:29.60 (old record: 2:30.96, John Calvert, 2005)
Men's 400 free: 4:37.74 (old record: 4:40.45, Duncan McCreadie, 2006)
Men's 800 free: 9:32.74 (old record: 9:43.83, Duncan McCreadie, 2005)
Men's 200 free: 2:09.50 (old record: 2:10.04, Fred Schlicher, 2008)
65-69 age group
Richard Abrahams (65)
Men's 100 free: 58.68 (old record: 59.40, David Quiggin, 2009)
Men's 50 free: 25.80 (old record: 26.68, Keefe Lodwig, 2008)
Men's 100 IM: 1:10.42 (old record: 1:10.67, Richard Burns, 2008)
85-89 age group
Frank Piemme (85), 4:05.91 in men's 200 breast (old record: 4:13.03, Thomas Maine, October 2010)
Mixed 100-119 800 freestyle relay
James Banks, Chad Durieux, Kathy Chung, Summer St. Pierre of Rose Bowl Masters: 9:48.51 (no previous record exists for this event)
Mixed 280-319 800 freestyle relay
Dale Webster, Jackie Marr, Gynt Clifford, Bill Behun of San Diego Masters: 12:33.48 (old record: 13:22.53, Michigan Masters, March 2010)
Men's 280-319 800 freestyle relay
Frank Williams, Jorge Martinez, Bob Coale, Donald Baker of San Diego Masters: 11:57.29 (old record: 12:03.23, Spencer Swim Team, July 2010)
A mixed 100-119 400 freestyle relay swum by Rose Bowl Masters swam under the existing record in that event, but their time of 3:40.97 will not count as a Masters world record. Also, a mixed 100-119 200 medley relay swum by The Olympic Club will not count as a Masters world record, though that team's time of 1:51.60 was faster than the existing world record. FINA rules stipulate that all swimmers on any world record-setting relay must be at least 25 years old. Both relays had one person under the age of 25 on their teams.
Additionally, the San Diego Swim Masters women's 100-119 400 freestyle relay swam under the published world record of 4:22.26 with a 4:15.97, but it was not faster than the 4:11.67 swum by Mesa Masters in November.