Barrage Of Masters Records – World and USMS – Set At Southwest Zone Championships
A record-setting meet at the 2022 Southwest Zone Summer Championships in Mission Viejo, California, saw 22 long-course records set from Aug. 9-12. There were eight FINA age-group world records, 12 U.S. Masters (USMS) records, one Paralympic world record and one Paralympic American record broken during the four-day competition.
Masters Hall of Fame swimmer Laura Val added two more FINA world and USMS records to her growing list over the years. She broke the world age-group mark in the women’s 200 freestyle for the 70-74 class, touching the wall in 2:29.72. She also broke the world and USMS records in the 400 freestyle for the 70-74 age group, finishing in 5:21.19.
Three other swimmers broke multiple world and USMS records in the meet.
David Heron, swimming for the home Mission Viejo club, broke both the world age group and USMS record in the 1500 freestyle (15:49.04) and the 800 free (8:24.46) for the men’s 25-29 age group.
Karlyn Pipes
Karlyn Pipes, of Palm Beach, claimed a pair of records, bettering the FINA world age group record and USMS record in the 400 IM (5:49.08) and 100 backstroke (1:14.28) for the 60-64 age group.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle Rose broke the world and USMS records in two events as well, bettering the mark in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.34) and 200 IM (2:21.37) for the women’s 45-49 age group.
Paralympic swimmer Jonathan Pierce broke the Paralympic world and American record in the 400 freestyle for his division, touching the wall in 4:31.21.
Four more swimmers broke USMS records in the meet. Former Swimming World staffer Jeff Commings, swimming for Dolphins of the Desert, broke the record in the 50 breaststroke for 45-49, touching the wall in 29.29. Anne Williams broke the record in the 200 IM for the 80-84 age group, touching in 4:08.36 and Pavel Romanov broke the 25-29 USMS record in the 50 breaststroke (27.83). Rounding out the group was Jeff Farrell, who set an 80-84 age group record in the 50 freestyle (35.23).