By Phillip Whitten<\/p>\n
HONOLULU, May 14. THE spirit of Duke Kahanamoku wafted palpably on gentle trade winds over the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Hawaii, as the 2002 USMS Short Course National got underway here today. <\/p>\n
The turnout for this year's meet was just over 1,100, one of the smallest fields in years, but the quality of the competition appears to be outstanding.<\/p>\n
Four national USMS records were set on the first day, three coming in the 1000 yard freestyle.<\/p>\n
In the 50-54 men's age group, Ventura's amazing Jim McConica, 51, became the first man over 45 to crack 10 minutes for the 1000 when he touched in 9:57.78. He split 4:57.10 – 5:00.68.<\/p>\n
The swim took four seconds off his own 50-54 record (10:01.74) and was 10 seconds faster than his still-standing record of 10:07.92 in the 45-49 age group.<\/p>\n
In the 35-39 division, Mike Shaffer, also swimming for Ventura Masters, out-dueled Jeff Erwin, 9:31.89 to 9:33.79 to establish a new USMS mark. The old record, 9:39.22, was set by Shaffer last year. Interestingly, both Shaffer and Erwin swam under Erwin's 30-34 record of 9:34.15.<\/p>\n
Julia Dolce, Garden State Masters — and at 92, the oldest swimmer in the meet — hacked more than four full minutes off the women's 90-94 record for the 1000 yard free. Dolce's 28:36.94 obliterated the old mark of 32:53.76 set by Anne Bauscher in 1993.<\/p>\n
June Krauser, Goldcoast Masters, swam her 1000 free in 16:50.53, under the listed record for women 75-79. However, she has a pending mark of 16:49.98, swum earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The final two USMS records of the day came in the 1650 yard freestyle for men 60-64, and Oregon's Tom Landis was the record-breaker. Landis touched in 19:18.93, taking almost ten seconds off the old standard of 19:28.49. Landis also broke the 1000 Free record on his way out when he turned in 11:34.34.<\/p>\n