David Guthrie Celebrates New Age Group With Two Masters Swimming World Records

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

David Guthrie doesn’t turn 55 until next month, but he started early on making an impact on the 55-59 Masters swimming age group this weekend by setting two world records in Texas.

Thanks to a rule that sets a Masters swimmer’s age as of December 31 of that year, Guthrie is already 55 years old by FINA standards. So, he signed up for this weekend’s Texas Senior Circuit meet in Shenandoah, not far from his home in Houston, and beat swimmers in their teens.

He started with a 1:09.75 in the 100 breast, which beat 17-year-old Safa Anya by .15 and cleared the FINA Masters world record of 1:11.13 in the 55-59 age group. Tim Shead swam that time back in 2008.

Guthrie was more dominant in the 200 breast, where he posted a 2:34.43 to win by four seconds over 16-year old Zac Hawes. Guthrie’s time shattered Rick Collela’s world record of 2:38.66, also from 2008. Guthrie was 1:14.52 at the 100-meter mark, and split 1:19.91 in the second 100 meters.

Guthrie, one of the Masters World Swimmers of the Year as picked by Swimming World Magazine, will be looking to take down Walter Kusch’s 50 breast world record of 31.05 later this summer. That will give Guthrie two age groups in which he owns all three long course breaststroke world records. His times of 30.48, 1:06.98 and 2:27.97 stand as the world marks in the 50-54 age group. It should be noted that Guthrie’s 100 breast world record in the 50-54 age group was swum last year, so expect him to approach that time this year as well.

Guthrie swept all three breaststrokes at last month’s U.S. Masters Swimming short course nationals. He competed in the 50-54 age group, since USMS rules dictate that a swimmer’s age is set on the first day of the meet.

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