MIke Sorensen Wins Two, American Women Dominate the 100 Back at World Masters Games

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, October 12. THE USA's Michael Sorensen added two more gold medals to his collection today at the World Masters Games in Melbourne. Sorensen, 34, scored an unusual double, winning the 200 meter butterfly (2:15.78) and 50m freestyle (25.12) for men 30-34.

Meanwhile, Australia's Penny Palfry and Mexico's Laura Vaca continued their dominance and gold medal-winning performances on the women's side and American men made a major impact too on the penultimate day of swimming at the World Masters Games.

Palfry, 40-44 world record-holder in the 400-800 frees, splashed to a 2:37.47 NR in the 200 fly to go along with her earlier No. 1's in the 200, 400 and 800 free.

Vaca, competing in the 45-49 age group, won her 200 fly race in 2:42.91, adding to the gold she had already taken home in the 200 IM.

The United States had a very good day in the pool as Cristina Pereira won the 25-29 100 back (1:15.40). Peggy Gross then led a one-two sweep of the 30-34 50 free (26.38) with teammate Trish Buswell next at 28.81). In that same age group, Sunny Smiley won a thrilling 100 back duel over Aussie Katie Durang, 1:13.36 – 1:13.39, in one of the close races of the meet.

American Carole Sparks (35-39) continued the win streak with victory in the 50 free (28.67), as did compatriot Jane Swagerty-Hill in the 50-54 100 back
(1:16.64 — about two seconds off her own r2ecently-set global-standard).

In women's 55-59, Great Britain's Judy Wilson, already global standard-bearer in the 50-100 frees and flys, won the 50 free here in 31.60, just off her WR 30.53 from a couple of years ago.

Australia picked up another gold when Pam Hutchings, wr-holder in the 100 free plus all three backstroke races in the 65-69 age group, won the 50 free in 33.69, oh-so-close to the wr of 33.38 by Switzerland's Olga Krejci from the World Championships last March in Christchurch, NZ.

Hutching scored yet another win in the 100 back, clocking 1:28.69. Her WR from the World Championships is 1:27.51 so she was just 1.18 shy of that mark.

* * * * *

U.S. men did their part too to uphold Uncle Sam's honor as Steve Borowski (55-59) and Don Hill (70-74) both won their respective 50 free races in 26.11 and 30.45.

The fastest 50 was Aussie Jared Clarke's 23.87, a time which would rank him among the Top 150 non-Masters swimmers globally for 2002.

In the 75-79 category, Aussie John Mills earned his fifth gold of the competition with a 32.52 50 free win. His other No. 1s were in the 800 free (13:25.99), 100 free (1:16.97), 200 free and the 400 free (6:21.53). His 400 time was a mere four seconds off the world-record of 6:17.36 by Japan's Domei Suzuki from six years ago.

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