Karnaugh, Baker Slash Masters Records

DEC. 21. DR. RON Karnaugh, 35, and Beth Baker, 41, each set four Masters short course records in the past two weeks.

Competing at the Kerr-McGee Elite Pro-Am meet in Oklahoma City last weekend, Karnaugh, 35, notched four USMS national records for men 35-39. Two of his records — in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke — were the fastest times ever recorded by a Masters swimmer of any age. Karnaugh won both of those events at Kerr-McGee.

In the 100 breast, Dr. Ron clocked 55.26 seconds to erase the national record of 55.84 set by Wally Dicks, 38, earlier this year. Karnaugh's time is the fastest ever swum by a Masters swimmer; Dicks previously held that distinction. Karnaugh's split at the 50, 25.85 seconds, was under Dicks' listed record of 25.97 from 1998.

In the 200 breast. Karnaugh recorded the first-ever sub-2:00 swim by a Masters swimmer, breaking Dicks' 35-39 record of 2:04.78 set last year. Karnaugh touched home in 1:59.23, splitting: 26.56 – 57.02 – 1:28.12 – 1:59.23. The previous fastest time by a Masters swimmer was Karnaugh's 2:01.01, the national record in the 30-34 age group, which Karnaugh swam at the 1997 Masters Y Nationals.

Karnaugh also set 35-39 national records in the 200 and 400 IM, though his recordfs in the 30-34 age group are slightly faster. In the 200 IM, Karnaugh clocked 1:48.84, slashing the listed mark of 1:56.46 by Cam Reid set in 1999. In the 400 IM, Karnaugh swam the first sub-4:00 effort in the age group with his 3:56.76. Reid was again the victim, his 4:09.15 falling by the wayside.

Karnaugh's splits:
200 IM: 23.71 – 0:51.80 – 1:23.23 – 1:48.84
400 IM: 54.02 – 1:54.52 – 3:01.19 – 3:56.76

Beth Baker continued her onslaught in the women's 40-44 division, notching one national record and three world and USMS marks.

On Dec. 15, swimming in the Joe Jacby Invitational at George mason University, Baker clocked 1:00.77 leading off Curl-Burke's "C" 400 yd medley relay. The old record of 1:01.38 was set by Laura Val in 1996.

At the Colonies Zone short course meters meet at Rutgers University, Dec. 8-9, Baker destroyed the WR's in the 100/200m back and lowered her own mark in the 100m IM.

In the 100 back, Baker's 1:07.92 devastated the former mark of 1:10.23, set by Germany's Utew Romberg last january.

Great Britain's Lesley Wilde was the victim in the 200m back, as her 2:30.26 WR was swept away by Baker's 2:25.78.

in the 100 IM, Baker clocked 1:08.98 to ease under the 1:09.20 standard she set last March 31.

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