Three more master’s world records fell on the penultimate day of the 2019 World Masters Swimming Championships, following a bit of a drought on Day 5.
Hungary’s Katharina Flora in the 85-89 age group was the first to make history, shattering Jane Asher’s previous 100 backstroke record of 1:52.70 by over six seconds with a final time of 1:46.51.
Nicholas Alfred Neckles (58.45) of Barbados tallied the second in the men’s 40-44 100 back, rewriting Michael Ross’ previous mark of 59.08 set in September 2009.
Takatsugu Oga seized momentum headed into the final night of competition, ending Day 6 with a historic swim in the men’s 30-34 200 fly. Bettering the rest of the field by nearly three seconds at the second turn, Oga surged home with time to spare, building to a final time of 2:03.43 and resetting Matt Haupt’s previous world record of 2:03.76.
Women’s 200 Breast
Maren Piskkora of Germany kicked off the women’s schedule with a win in the 85-89 age group 200 breast, clocking a 6:03.70. Cy Egypto Mazoni turned in another winning performance of her own in the next age bracket, splitting a consistent race to go 4:22.02 for the gold.
America’s Daniela Barnea (3:48.31) put pressure on Diane Maureen Ford (3:47.91) in the 75-89 race, but ultimately fell to the Brit despite exhibiting the fastest closing speed in the field. Toth Magdolna Csanadine of Hungary was next, turning in a 3:50.83 in the 70-74 age group for a decisive victory.
Germany’s Ulrike Urbaniak (3:28.87) managed to hold off Australia’s Janette Jeffrey (3:32.37) in the 65-69 age class, as the two went stroke for stroke in the race’s initial 100, with Urbaniak pulling away at the 150. Britain’s Esther Iseppi of Great Britain bettered Amanda Heath’s (3:16.59) mark by nearly three seconds in the 60-64 age group, crashing the pads with a winning time of 3:13.61. Her compatriot, Hannah Ueckermann (3:11.65), nabbed a championship win of her own, but faced more adversity as Lynda Coggins (3:11.84) made a move at the 150, narrowing the gap with each stroke to finish 0.19 behind Ueckermann.
Johanna Kara (2:10.92) of Finland claimed the 50-54 age group, but not without a push from Japan’s Tomomi Miyazono (3:11.29). Britain’s Helen Gorman followed up with a time of 2:46.42 to take the 45-49 bracket, attaining a commanding lead from the outset of the race.
Smiljana Marinovic forced her name on the scene with a time of 2:40.87 in the 40-44 group, as she continued to lengthen her lead with each passing 50. Satsuki Hirukawa of Japan won the 35-39 division in similar fashion, clocking a 2:50.79 to lock down gold.
Sarra Lajnef from the United Arab Emirates emerged as victor in the 30-34 division, going out quickly in the first 50, but managing to maintain speed in order to post a 2:42.70. Germany’s Judith Hermeler (2:42.34) took the youngest division by a fingernail, as Spain’s Anna Diago Miravet (2:42.44) gave her a scare in the race’s final lap, where she out-split Hermeler by nearly a second and a half to come within striking distance.
Men’s 200 Breast
Bill Walker continues to rake in hardware in the 90-94 division, and today was no exception. The Australian native cinched the win in the 200 breast with a time of 8:33.40, making him one of the most decorated athletes in this meet. His compatriot, Patrick Galvin, locked down the 85-89 division gold with a 4:22.59; while another Aussie, Tony Goodwin took the 80-84 age group with a time of 3:32.01.
Rob Hanou of the Netherlands negative split each lap after the initial 50 to go a winning time of 3:34.99 in the 75-79 age class; while Australia’s Leon Bobako relied on aggressive closing speed to cinch the 70-74 age group win with a 3:27.82. Another Australian, Stuart Ellicott, made his presence known in the 65-69 category, as he built to a final time of 3:02.67 to earn top honors.
Russia’s Timur Podmarev (2:48.97) established his dominance early on in the 60-64 race, as he found a way to maintain speed despite setting an aggressive pace from the start. Carlo Travaini of Italy adopted a similar strategy, seizing the 55-59 win with ease while resetting the age group championship record.
Alberto Montini crashed the pads with a 3:35.70 to nab the 50-54 age group title by a wide margin. The Italian would have experienced more competition in the 45-49 bracket, as Sergei Firichenko of Russia went 37.96 in the race’s final lap to clock a 2:35.36.
Krasimir Zahov of Bulgaria reserved the top step of the podium with a 2:32.06 in the 40-44 division, holding off Richard Paul Morris (2:36.22) to seize top honors. Britain’s Chris Jones (2:23.79) took the 35-39 division by a similar margin, seemingly gaining momentum after dropping a 1:08.51 initial 100 split.
Thailand’s Radomyos Matjiur jumped to a nearly three second lead heading into the final 100 meters, ultimately winning the race by 4.80 seconds in the 30-34 age group for a new championship record. His compatriot, Prasobcha Kaewrungrueang, cinched first in the 25-29 age division with a time of 2:17.97.
Women’s 100 Back
Japan’s Toshiko Amano turned in a gold-medal-worthy performance in the women’s 100 back, winning the 90-04 age division with a time of 4:49.66.
Hungary’s Katharina Flora overtook the competition in the 85-89 bracket, turning in a 1:46.51 to better Germany’s Ingrid Keusch-Renner (2:33.25) by 46.74 seconds, while resetting the age group world record. The time shattered Jane Asher’s previous mark of 1:52.70, set in 2016.
Yoshiko Osaki of Japan attained a hearty lead herself, clocking in at 1:45.27 in the 80-84 age class; while Denmark’s Elisabeth Ketelson (1:34.65) proved to be a dominant force in the 75-79 category, surging home with an aggressive final 50 that was only 0.65 slower than her initial split.
After making multiple appearances in last night’s relay session, South Africa’s Sanderina Kruger (1:31.61) showed no signs of fatigue, reemerging on the scene with a 70-74 age group win. Linda Hunt (1:28.42) of Canada took the 65-69 age class, padding her lead after the first 50 enough to hold off Susan Swire-Thompson (1:29.14) of Australia. In contrast, Great Britain’s Helen Kula-Przezwanski (1:21.66) used the clock as her greatest competitor, as she stole the 60-64 gold medal with ease.
Jelena Kunovac clocked a 1:16.66 for the win in the 55-59 division, followed by another American win from Kristin Jan Gary (1:11.23) in the 50-54 class. Sweden’s Cam Johansson-Sponseller (1:09.42) turned in a 35.55 final lap to seal her victory in the 45-49 age group, with less than a two second differential between her final and initial splits.
Japan’s Nahomi Shirata found herself at the top of the 40-44 age group after posting a 1:12.00; while Brazil’s Carla Horst Vaine dropped a 1:08.14 for the 35-39 division win. Julie Laux of France was not to be ignored, as she surged to a time of 1:07.96 for the 30-34 win.
China’s Jing Zhao was the woman to beat in the 25-29 age group, seizing top honors with a time of 1:05.71, while resetting the championship record.
Men’s 100 Back
Emil Dan Stoenescu of Romania went uncontested in the 90-94 age group 100 back, locking down gold with a time of 2:47.67; while Germany’s Itze Ilgen (1:43.84) took down America’s Bill Lauer (1:49.38) in the 85-89 age bracket to earn top honors.
Chen-Ming Hsieh, representing Chinese Taipei Master Swim Club, headed the 80-84 age group with a 1:48.10, as Germany’s Bernd Horstmann (1:22.65) took the next 75-79 age bracket by a wide margin. Australia’s Stephen Lamy tallied yet another gold medal in the 70-74 division, surging home to a time of 1:21.55.
America’s Philipp Arthur Djang (1:13.86) pulled out the win in the 65-69 age group, going 1-2 with Eric Duncan Van Boer (1:16.46), also of the United States. Marcio Almeida tallied another gold of his own, clocking a 1:12.74 to cinch the win in the 60-64 age group.
Representing Seaside Pirates Inc, John Hawton of Australia managed to get his hand on the wall first in the 55-59 age group, but not without a scare from Italy’s Francesco Pettini (1:07.68). Russia’s Roman Tolstik (1:05.53) took the 50-54 class by a similar margin, finishing ahead of Germany’s Torsten Kaiser (1:05.93) by 0.40.
Osamu Itoi of Japan came from behind to win the 45-59 age group, surging past Germany’s Lars Kalenka (1:02.04) to make up for a 0.77 differential after the first 50.
Nicholas Alfred Neckles of Barbados proceeded to make history in the age 40-44 division, exploding off the start to clock an initial split of 28.58, only to bring it home in 29.87 to demolish the age group world record. The previous mark of 59.08, held by Michael Ross of the United States, had been standing since September 2009.
Brazil’s Eduardo Ferreira Sevieri (59.76) posted the third fastest split at the 50, but managed to churn out a 30.68 final lap for the overall 35-39 age group victory. His compatriot, Leonardo Sumida (57.83) adopted the opposite strategy, jumping to an early lead while managing to fend off Thomas Hollingsworth (58.06) for the 30-34 win. Thailand’s Kasipat Chograthin rounded out the event with a winning performance in the 25-29 bracket, clocking in at 57.91.
Women’s 200 Fly
The United States’ Daniela Barnea dominated the women’s 200 fly in the 75-79 age group, earning top honors with a time of 4:07.80. Italy’s Gabriella Treggiari took care of the next age group, going 6:36.81 in the 70-74 heat for the win.
Laura Vaca reset the 65-69 championship record with a time of 3:14.33, putting nearly 30 seconds between herself and Colombia’s Virgi Olano de Abuchaibe (3:44.26). Russia’s Larisa Nagovitsyna found herself in a similar race with the clock, as she left the rest of the filed in the 60-64 age division to post a winning time of 3:00.66.
America’s Maria Espe Hung Oleksiuk was the only woman under 3:00 in the 55-59 age group, touching in at 2:59.80 for the win. Franca Bosisio (2:32.39) traded leads with Germany’s Claudia Thielemann (2:33.75) in the 50-54 division, ultimately emerging as victor while resetting the championship record.
Britain’s Nicola Latty turned in a time of 2:34.06 for the gold in the 45-49 age group, bettering the rest of the field by over five seconds. Annett Von Rekowski of Germany followed up with a decisive win of her own, cinching top honors with a time of 2:40.00.
The 35-39 age division race came down to the final lap, as Britain’s Hayley Davis appeared as though she were going to overtake Germany’s Carla Beckmann for a come-from-behind win. Ultimately, Beckmann got the last word, fending off Davis enough to claim the gold with 0.52 to spare. Maren Spietzack of Germany faced a similar fate, as she seized a narrow victory in the 30-34 age group with a time of 2:25.20.
In true form, Thailand’s Patarawadee Kittiya headed the 25-29 heat, clocking in at 2:17.29 to round out the women’s schedule for Day 6.
Men’s 200 Fly
Germany’s Peter Kalmar (7:31.21) kicked off the night’s final event with a win in the 85-89 age division of the men’s 200 fly, as Great Britain’s David Cumming (3:57.15) continued to seize momentum with a first place finish in the 80-84 class.
The Czech Republic’s Rudolf Smerda made meet history, dropping a 3:18.09 for the 75-79 win and championship record, just before the United States’ Alan Bernard threw down a 3:14.98 to take the 70-74 age group win.
Israel’s Dov Nisman (2:54.18) took the 65-69 age group win with ease, just before the Netherlands’ Hugo Bregman crashed the pads with a time of 2:27.96 to win the 60-64 division.
Brazil’s Marcus Mattioli achieved a commanding lead in the first half of the 55-59 heat, only widening the gap as he cruised to a time of 2:20.96 for the win. Belgium’s Francois Bockstaele (2:23.45) faced a challenge in New Zealand’s Brent Foster (2:24.45), but ultimately managed to pull out the 50-54 age group victory.
Frederic Tonus of Luxembourg dropped consistent splits before an aggressive final push in order to take the 45-49 age division, posting a time of 2:17.00 for the gold. Mexico’s Luis Urioste exhibited similar closing speed, surging home to a 2:16.20 for the 40-44 age group win.
Nikolay Skvortsov headed the 35-39 age class with a 2:04.15, moments before Takatsugu Oga dropped a historic swim in the 30-34 age division. Bettering the rest of the field by nearly three seconds after the first 100, Oga found a way to maintain speed in the final two laps. Building to a final time of 2:03.43, Oga reset Matt Haupt’s previous world record of 2:03.76 set in 2010.
Siwat Matangkapong of Thailand wrapped things up with a decisive win in the 25-29 age division, churning out a time of 2:09.59 for a climactic end to Day 6.
Johanna Kara
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