Canadian Masters Short Course National Championships Demolish FINA Masters World Record Books

TORONTO, Ontario, Canada, May 27. THE Canadian Masters Short Course Meters National Championships were held at the beautiful Etobicoke Olympium Complex from May 14-18 in Toronto, Canada. The championships served to illustrate the importance of an active lifestyle via swimming and its contribution to longevity and health.

Friendship and positive sportsmanship were the watchwords for the meet as fellow competitors, who raced fiercely in the pool, were often seen heartily congratulating each other after the event was completed.

Canadian Jaring Timmerman, 100 years young, bettered four FINA Masters world records in the men's 100-104 age group. He destroyed the former records by an average of more than a minute. He posted the following world record performances: 50 free: 1:17.12, 50 back: 1:45.59, 100 free: 3:02.22 and 100 back: 3:51.54. Another Canadian youngster, Roman Jezek, 95, cleared a FINA Masters global standard for the men's 100 breaststroke (3:24.92). These swims were among of the highlights of the meet and were covered by Toronto television.

The U.S. featured strong representation with outstanding performances, and accounted for nine of the FINA Masters world records bested at the meet. Gail Roper, in the 80-84 age group, broke the 50 fly record with a swim of 48.85, the 100 IM record in 1:44.95 and the 200 IM record 3:55.51.

Matching Gail Roper's record performance output was fellow U.S. teammate and globe-trotting Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, who cleared three FINA Masters global standards in the 45-49 age group in the 800 free (9:11.37), 400 free (4:25.34) and the 200 IM (2:21.55).

Pipes-Neilsen, an International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree, has swum more than 200+ Masters world record breaking performances to date, and currently holds world bests spanning four age-groups.

Other U.S. representatives bettering FINA Masters world records at the meet were Lois Nochman of Michigan Masters, who eclipsed two FINA Masters world standards in the 85-89 age group for the 100 fly (2:21.77) and the 200 IM (4:59.06), and Philipp Djang, 55, of New Mexico Masters, lowered the 100 backstroke record for the 55-59 age group record with a time of 1:04.24.

Along with Timmerman and Jezek, several other Canadians also beat world records. Wes Musial downed his own FINA Masters world and Canadian record in the men's 50-54 200 back with at time of 2:13.05. Dan Thompson, 53, bettered a FINA Masters world record in the 50 fly in a time of 25.49. Meanwhile, the Canadian Armed Forces Swim Team of R. Shallhorn, M. Gordon, S. Palmer and S. Bigelow posted a FINA Masters world record in women's 72-99 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:54.79.

More than 1,000 swimmers participated in the well-organized event. The highlight of the meet was the social at which numerous swimmers were honored for their achievements and contributions to the sport.

Special thanks to Philipp Djang for contributing this report.

Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen

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