Karnaugh Sets Masters World Mark at Jason Nessel Memorial Masters Meet

RAHWAY, N.J., August 3. DR. RON Karnaugh, in the middle of his taper for the USA Swimming National Championships next week in Fort Lauderdale, broke the world record in the 200m Individual Medley for men 35-39.

The record swim took place at the Jason E. Nessel Memorial Invitational Swim Meet 2002 in Rahway, N.J. The meet, formerly the Garden State Masters Championships, was named after Jason Nessel who died in a tragic auto accident two years ago. Jason's dad, Ed Nessel, a top Masters swimmer and coach, was the meet director.

Karnaugh, 36, representing the Phoenix (Ariz.) Swim Club Masters, clocked 2:08.19, just squeezing under the world mark of 2:08.21 set by Holland's Edwin Van Norden at the 1999 European Championships.

The swim also lowers Karnaugh's own American record of 2:08.52, swum last July at the Arizona State Masters Championships in Phoenix.

Karnaugh, who is still competing at the highest levels of the sport, swam a 2:04 earlier this year in USA Swimming competition and hopes to go a good deal faster at Nationals. He recently returned to the US after an extensive training trip in Kiev, Ukraine.

"Jason was a good friend of mine," said Karnaugh after the swim. "That's why it meant so much to me to set this record at a meet named for him, and that's why I am dedicating the swim to him," Karnaugh said in an emotion-laden voice.

-Phillip Whitten

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