IX FINA World Masters Swimming Championships – Day 3 Results

By Michael Collins

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – Day 3 highlights from the IX FINA Masters World Swimming Championships:

200 Breast – Women

Caroline Krattli destroyed the 40-44 age group and the world record by going 2:42.06 to take 7 seconds off the old mark of 2:49.95 by Dagmar Hilbig (GER). In fact she was the only female swimmer to break 2:50 in the meet. The next fastest time was 2:50.62 by 26 year old Maria Tataourova of Russia. The 3rd fastest time went to Sue Lyons of Australia on her way to winning the 30-34 narrowly in 2:53.07 to Great Britain's Lisa Dobson who touched a hair behind in 2:53.49.

Bonnie Pronk of Canada was the only other female to break a World Record in the event. In the 60-64 she blasted the time of 3:23.62 set by Joann Leilich (USA)by nearly nine seconds when she stopped the clock at 3:14.49.

The only other American women to place in the top 3 were Betty Christian, who won the 80-84 in 4:51.40, and Gertrud Zint, taking second in the 85-90 (6:22.68)

200 Breast – Men

Three world record fell in the men's 200 Breast. The first went down in the 45-49 age group when Glen Christiansen smoked a 2:35.11 to take over 3 seconds off the previous record of 2:38.65 set by Juergen Bruhn (GER) last year. His time was also the 3rd fastest overall time of the day behind Poland's Tomasz Duszynski who touched in 2:26.74 to win the 25-29, and Matt Wright of Australia who won the 30-34 in 2:31.61.

Next, Thomas Walker broke his own 65-69 record of 3:08.19 when he touched in 3:06.08. Finally, in the 75-79 age group, Karl Hauter of Germany had to break the old record of 3:55.37 set by Augusto Romano (ITA) in 1998, because Ernesto Orlando of Argentina was also under the record finishing second (3:53.09). It wasn't very close, however, as Hauter knocked nearly 20 seconds off the record when he hit in 3:36.41. Thomas Maine of the USA was 3rd in (3:56.49)

The fastest American man was Michael Collins, who placed 4th in the 35-39 with a 2:47.33 (but was over 5 seconds slower than the fastest American female – Caroline Krattli)

American men dominated the 55-59 age group taking 4 of the top 5 spots with Robert Strand 1st (2:48.50), Donald McKenzie 2nd (2:57.69), Jim Pelissier 4th (3:08.63), & Gabor Paul Menyharth 5th (3:10.04)

In the 60-64 Mike Freshley finished 3rd (3:09.96), with Peter Betzer 4th (3:14.02)

Donald Baker was 2nd in 70-74 (3:44.29)

400 Free – Women

The fastest overall women's time was also a world record. Penny Palfrey of Australia got redemption for missing the 40-44 800 Free WR by just 2-hundredths when she touched over 3 seconds under Jill Hernandez' (USA) record time of 4:38.89 in 2000. She touched in a strong 4:35.74.

American women did quite well though, taking the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th fastest overall times in the event with Laureen Welting, 1st in 35-39 (4:38.31), Sandie Easton, 1st in 30-34 (4:39.52), and Suzanne Heim-Bowen, 2nd in 40-44 (4:40.58).

Danielle Ogier (5:04.54) & Barabara Gundred (5:12.40) went 1-2 in the 50-54 age group.
The girl with the longest name from Hawaii, Betty Ann Barnett-Sallee, won the 55-59 (5:39.75), and
June Krauser (7:09.01) & Betty Lorenzi (7:16.18) went 1-3 in the 75-59 age group. Finally, Bunny Cederlund won the 80-84 in 8:06.90

400 Free – Men

James Montgomery had the fastest American men's time with a 4:26. (splitting a very even 1:12-1:13), with Michael Collins finishing as the second American in 4:28.9. Full results were not available for this posting, but will be added later.

Photo by Michael Collins

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