Christiansen, Gjores, Dahl Set Masters World Records at Swedish Short Course Nationals

LINKOPING, SWEDEN, April 29. GLEN Christiansen,
Kerstin Gjöres and Joakim Dahl set world Masters records at the Swedish National Masters Short Course Championships last weekend.

The three-day meet was held in Linkoping, April 26-28.
In all, four world, 16 European and 62 Swedish national records were set during the meet.

Christiansen, who is on a midlife tear, set his seventh and eighth Masters world mark in the men's 45-49 age group in the last two months.

In the 100 meter breaststroke, Christiansen swam what he described as "almost a perfect race," clocking 1:07.00, and carving precisely two full seconds from the time he established last month. His 50 meter split — 30.93 — is faster than any other man 45 or over has ever swum for a straight 50.

Before Christiansen aged up, the 100 meter record was held by the USA's Bob Strand at 1:09.44, set in 1995.

Christiansen's fast 100 set the stage for a fast 50, and the Swedish speedster obliged. He raced through the two-lap sprint in 30.13 seconds, smashing his own mark of 30.63 set last month, but falling short of his goal of breaking the 30-second barrier.

Before Christiansen aged up, the world mark stood at 31.71 by Germany's Thomas Paehr.

"I wanted to break a 30," Christiansen said, "but all the races the day before and the last two weeks of work just took their toll, I guess. I'm pleased anyway, and I hope I will have more chances to do it in the future!"

Christiansen also won the 50 fly (28.21), 100 fly (1:03.03), 100 IM (1:04.19), swam a 29.65 breaststroke relay leg and a lifetime best 25.32 breaststroke relay leg to earn the men's Outstanding Performer cup.

Kerstin Gjores set a world mark for women 75-79, in the 50 meter freestyle, clocking 39.06 seconds. The time shave 6-hundredths of a second off the global standard of 39.12 set by Australia's Mary Cunningham in November 2000.

Gjores won the women's Outstanding Performer award.

Joakim Dahl became the first Masters swimmer to crack 25 seconds for the 50 meter fly, stroking the distance in 24.89 seconds for a 25-29 world record. The former mark was 25.20.

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