Nicolas Granger, one of this year’s Swimming World Magazine World Masters Swimmers of the Year, participated in the long course French National Championships for athletes just below the elite level, and placed second in the 200 IM with a time that was faster than his Masters world record in the 45-49 age group.
Granger, 48, swam a 2:11.14 in the event against athletes 30 years younger than him, beating his world record of 2:11.22 from 2012. It will not count as a Masters world record because the meet was not a sanctioned Masters meet. FINA rules dictate that Masters world records can only be set in sanctioned Masters meets.
“I’ll be forced to return in 2016,” Granger said in a Facebook post. On Friday, he was sixth in the 200 free with a 1:59.48 after a 1:59.11 in the heats.
Granger’s 200 IM splits:
Butterfly: 28.08
Backstroke: 33.98
Breaststroke: 37.88
Freestyle: 31.20
Granger earned his 2015 World Masters Swimmer of the Year accolade largely from his two long course world records in the 200 free (1:57.55) and 400 IM (4:43.83) at last year’s Masters world championships. Granger raced in the United States this past spring, swimming in the Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa before setting three United States Masters Swimming national records (100 free, 200 IM, 400 IM) at the spring Masters nationals.
Jon Hawton??
Not shabby for an old guy!!