USA Swimming Offers Bonus For Distance Freestyle American Record

Oklahoma City, OK – USA Swimming is offering a Recordsetter Bonus to the athlete who sets a new American Record in the 1650 Freestyle during the 7th Annual Kerr-McGee Corporation Elite Pro-Am. The woman and/or man who breaks the existing 1650 Freestyle Short-Course Yard American Record will receive a bonus of $2,500.00.

Additionally, USA Swimming, event sponsor of both the Women’s and Men’s 1650 Freestyle, has added an additional $500.00 to the First Place prize purse, bringing the cash prize for First Place to $1,100 per event.

The 7th Annual Kerr-McGee Corporation Elite Pro-Am, the nation’s only professional swim meet, is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, December 17-20, 1998, at the Oklahoma City (OK) Community College Aquatic Center. Kerr-McGee Swim Club is the host team for the meet.

“Kerr-McGee Swim Club is excited to have USA Swimming directly involved in the meet this year for two reasons,” said Jim Sullins, Meet Director. “First, USA Swimming’s commitment to our nation’s top distance swimmers is shown by the offer of $2,500 to both the female and male swimmer who breaks an American Record during our meet, and, by adding an additional $500.00 into the prize money for the distance events,” said Sullins. He went on to say that while USA Swimming has supported the meet through participation of the Resident Team since the team’s inception, this is the first time that USA Swimming as the NGB has recognized the meet as one with which they wanted USA Swimming’s name associated.

“For Kerr-McGee Swim Club, this is a big ‘pat-on-the-back’ for our meet and our vision,” Sullins said. “When we started the idea of a Professional-Amateur swim meet seven years ago, we believed that we were on the right track and the cutting edge of our sport. USA Swimming’s involvement under the dynamic leadership of Chuck Wielgus, as we see it, tells us that we are doing the right thing for the athletes who have dedicated their life to making the USA swim program the best in the world.”

“I attended the Kerr-McGee Meet last year and found the Elite Pro-Am to be very exciting,” said Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming Executive Director. “Our sport needs more creative approaches such as the elimination format used in the Elite Pro-Am and the event also gives post-collegiate swimmers a great racing opportunity.

Wielgus added, “As part of USA Swimming’s new effort to promote distance swimming, we have agreed to offer some incentive funding for athletes in the 1650 yard races for men and women. We’re proud to support the the Kerr-McGee Meet and I’d love to sign a check for $2,500 to an athlete who can break the American record in the 1650 yard event.”

The Kerr-McGee Corporation Elite Pro-Am offers over $30,000 in cash and prizes to competitors. Over 580 athletes from all parts of the country competed in last year’s meet, including over 30 Olympic, World, and National Champions from the United States and five foreign countries.

Entry deadline for the 7th Annual Kerr-McGee Corporation Elite Pro-Am is November 19th. For meet information, call Meet Director Jim Sullins at (405) 525-7696, or e-mail at jsullins@icnet.net. Meet information is available at the Kerr-McGee Swim Club site — http://www.pacificocean.com/kmsc

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use