MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, Octonber 11. NO world records were broken on Day 5 of the 2002 World Masters Games here this evening, but fast swimming in the 800 free was the order of the day.<\/p>\n
On the women's side, Australia's Penny Palfrey, already world record-holder in the 400-800 freestyles from the World Championships earlier this year, added the 800 gold to the 400 she won yesterday with a nice
\n9:39.50 performance. Her WR is 9:24.90.<\/p>\n
In women's 45-49, Mexico's Laura Vaca stroked to her second gold with a fine 10:17.99-10:54.25 victory over Great Britain's Jaye Ball, who was also runner-up in the 400 free. Vaca had earlier won the 200 IM with a solid 2:47.96 clocking and was second in the 100 fly (1:14.93).<\/p>\n
Vaca's time was actually the best swim in the entire event — both for women and men. Her 10:17.39 was only nine seconds off the WR of 10:08.23, held by the USA's Laura Val.<\/p>\n
Another noteworthy time was in the 75-79 800, where New South Wales' Liz Wallin won in 14:58.78. The world record is 14:10.50 by America's June Krauser from last year.<\/p>\n
There were no American winners, though Marion Chadwick (29:16.75) placed second behind Australia's Helen Jackson (28:16.07) in the 80-84 division.<\/p>\n
* * * * *<\/p>\n
On the men's side, Western Australia's Simon Martin, competing in the 50-54 age group, raced to his third gold of the competition with a solid 9:56.50 800 free victory. He already had won the 100 free (59.95) and yesterday picked up a No. 1 in the 400 free (4:44.52).<\/p>\n
A pair of Americans stroked to a one-two finish in the 80-84 men's 800, with 80-year-old Gilbert Young winning in 15:39.52 and compatriot Herbert Hoepiner
\ntaking the silver (16:39.52). They were Uncle Sam's only men's medalists from Day 5.<\/p>\n
Showing that journalists are also athletes despite suggestions to the contrary, Great Britain's Andy Wilson won his third gold tonight when he touched in 10:23.86 for the 800 to take the title in the 55-59 category. He co-edits his country's Masters publication and earlier had won the 200 and 400 free.<\/p>\n
Aussie John Mills, the terror of the 75-79 group, picked up his third gold with a 13:25.99 800 free triumph — not too far off the world mark of 12:52.31 by America's Frank Piemme from two years ago. Piemme also holds the 1500 free world record (24:49.56).<\/p>\n
Earlier Mills had won the 400 free (6:21.53) and the 100 free (1:16.97).<\/p>\n
Canadian Olympian Graham Welbourn in the 40-44 category won his third gold of the competition with a 9:09.53 800 free swim, fastest of the meet. His other wins came in the 200 and 400 free. The United States' Joseph Rhyne (8:48.69) owns the world record from '99 so Welbourn's is a very fine effort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, Octonber 11. NO world records were broken on Day 5 of the 2002 World Masters Games here this evening, but fast swimming in the 800 free was the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n