Keith Switzer Breaks U.S. Masters National Record to Open Pan Ams

SARASOTA, Florida, June 5. ONE world record was threatened on the opening day of pool swimming competition at the Pan American Masters championships, while Keith Switzer set a USA national record to begin what is sure to be the first of many long course records broken in the Florida sun.

Switzer, 50 years old and representing Carolina Aquatics, swam a 9:00.39 in the 800 freestyle to break Jim McConica's national mark of 9:03.84 in the 50-54 age group from 2001. He still has a few seconds to go to break Marcus Mattioli's world record of 8:55.05.

1 Switzer, Keith M       50 CASC-USA          9:00.00    9:00.39N 
                 31.04      1:05.05 (34.01)
        1:38.74 (33.69)     2:13.11 (34.37)
        2:47.53 (34.42)     3:21.93 (34.40)
        3:56.32 (34.39)     4:30.70 (34.38)
        5:04.67 (33.97)     5:38.46 (33.79)
        6:12.35 (33.89)     6:46.44 (34.09)
        7:20.65 (34.21)     7:55.04 (34.39)
        8:28.58 (33.54)     9:00.39 (31.81)

In the women's 800 free, Betty Lorenzi swam a 17:10.20 to win in the 85-89 age group, and narrowly missed the world and national record of 17:09.73 set in 2007 by the late Margery Meyer.

The eight-day competition continues tomorrow with the 400 individual medley and 50 freestyle. More than 1,500 competitors are attending the meet from 25 countries.

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