Day 6 of the 2019 World Masters Swimming Championships ended the world record drought incurred on Night 5, but the athletes were far from done. On the final night of competition, two more masters age group world records fell, wrapping up the past seven nights in Gwangju on a high.
Less than 24 hours after rewriting Michael Ross’ 40-44 100 backstroke record, Nicholas Alfred Neckles (27.13) took down Aleksandr Shilin’s mark in the 50 with 0.14 to spare. Carlo Travaini (30.39) followed up with a historic swim in the 50 breast, lowering his own mark set just last year.
Having reset Jane Asher’s 100 backstroke record just last night, Hungary’s Katharina Flora shattered another one of the legend’s marks with a historic swim in the 85-89 division 50 back, clocking a 49.92 to beat the previous mark of 50.08.
Men’s 50 Back
Romania’s Emil Dan Stoenescu (1:08.16) ripped a quick lap in the men’s 50 back to get things started, earning top honors in the 90-94 age division. Itze Ilgen of Germany followed up with a 47.25 in the 85-89 bracket, bettering Slovenia’s Marijan Lapajne’s (50.78) mark by over three seconds.
John Cocks tallied yet another gold with a 44.62 in the 80-84 age class, overtaking the United States’ Mel E Goldstein (49.05) for the win. In true form, Bernd Horstmann of Germany made his final appearance gold-medal-worthy, clocking a 38.16 to take the 75-79 category.
Stephen Lamy, another recurring name, found himself on the topmost step of the podium once again, as the Aussie native sprinted to a winning time of 37.13 in the 70-74 age group. America’s Philipp Arthur Djang took the spotlight next, turning in a time of 32.93 to head the 65-69 age division while resetting the championship record.
Representing Master Coahuila, Oscar Gutierrez del Bisque of Mexico forced his name on the scene with a winning performance in the 60-64 class, clocking a 32.95. Finland’s Janne Virtanen went stroke for stroke with Belarus’ Siarhai Aliashkevich (31.24) in the 55-59 division, ultimately emerging as victor with a time of 31.13.
Germany’s Torsten Kaiser (29.76) took the 50-54 division by the smallest margin of the night, clocking in just 0.04 ahead of Britain’s Mike Hodgson (29.80). Osamu Itoi followed up with a time of 28.15, enough to cinch the 45-49 age group victory with 0.62 to spare.
One wasn’t enough for Barbados’ Nicholas Alfred Neckles, as he clocked a 27.13 to cinch his second consecutive world record in the 40-44 age division, resetting Aleksandr Shilin’s prior mark of 27.27.
Rodrigo Trivino of Brazil sprinted to a decisive victory in the 35-39 age group, crashing the pads with a time of 27.19; while Tomoya Fukui (26.40) had his hands full in the 30-34 age group, fending off Brazil’s Leonardo Sumida (26.70) for the win. Thailand’s Kasipat Chograthin (26.01) rounded out the event, winning the youngest 25-29 age division by a wide margin.
Women’s 50 Back
Toshiko Amano went uncontested in the 90-94 age division, cruising to a time of 2:16.65 to lock down the gold in the 90-94 age division.
Hungary’s Katharina Flora struck again with a historic swim in the 85-89 division, clocking a 49.92 to shatter Jane Asher’s previous mark of 50.08 from 2016. Having reset Asher’s 100 backstroke record just last night, Flora has officially established her monopoly on sprint backstroke events during this World Championships.
Germany’s Ursula Meyer-Tonndorf established her dominance in the 80-84 division, earning top honors with a time of 51.27. Elisabeth Ketelsen of Denmark turned in a 43.37 in the next age bracket, putting 7.91 seconds between herself and Australia’s Annie Cooke (51.28).
Sanderina Kruger showed no signs of fatigue despite a loaded event schedule, as the South Africa native dropped a 41.68 to take the 70-74 age group win. Susan Swire-Thompson of Australia was the only woman under :40 in the 65-69 age division, finishing with a time of 39.85. The 60-64 age group saw a similar spread, as Sachiko Oshima (39.35) dropped the only sub-40 time in the field as well.
Jelena Kunovac took the 55-59 age division with relative ease, finishing with a time of 34.25 to reset the championship record and better Lynda Coggins’ (36.24) time by nearly two seconds. Italy’s Franca Bosisio followed up with a win in the 50-54 bracket, dropping a 32.88 to gain a healthy advantage over America’s Kristin Jan Gary (33.30).
Britain’s Michelle Ware headed the 45-49 age group, churning out a 32.28 to seize top honors. Japan’s Nahomi Shirata (32.58) pulled ahead after an explosive start in the 40-44 category, tallying another gold.
In the 35-39 age group, Carla Horst Vaine (32.02) of Brazil came close to conceding the win, as she and Susan Przywara (32.12) turned in nearly identical races. Horst managed to attain a slight advantage at the finish, touching in just a tenth of a second ahead of her closest competitor. Finland’s Suvi Pulkkinen cinched a narrow victory herself, turning in a 30.39 for the 30-34 win ahead of France’s Julie Laux (31.52).
China’s Jing Zhao posted the only sub-30 of the event, cranking out a 29.89 for a championship record and decisive victory in the 25-29 age bracket.
Men’s 400 Free
The United States’ Bill Lauer (7:32.49) nabbed his final championship in the 85-89 age group 400 free, making the race all his own with a 43-second differential between himself and second place. Germany’s Werner Schnabel split a consistent race in the next age division, building to a final time of 6:28.33, worthy of the win.
Joaquin Canales (6:12.53) of Spain found himself at the top of the 75-79 age bracket, coming from behind to overtake Australia’s Tony Forman (6:20.79) in the final 100 meters. Gerry Tucker won the 70-74 age class in a similar fashion, waiting patiently until the last 200 meters to surge past his compatriot, Graham Reginald Croft (5:48.96).
Germany’s Rainer Fritsche (5:20.31) went out quickly in the 65-69 race, but Italy’s Claudio Berrini had a response. Making his move at the 150, Berrini passed Fritsche and found a way to maintain speed throughout the rest of the race, ultimately throwing up a winning time of 5:13.60.
Brazil’s Djan Madruga took the blocks next, attaining a commanding lead after the first 100 meters only to extend it with each stroke. Clocking in at 4:46.36, Madruga reserved the topmost step of the podium, just before Arnaldo Perez’s (4:29.19) victory in the 55-59 race. The Puerto Rico native exhibited the fastest closing speed in the field, surging home with a 1:07.58 final 100.
Brent Foster (4:25.89) of New Zealand challenged Italy’s Dino Schorn (4:25.49) for the 50-54 title, but he was unable to completely make up the deficit despite posting the fastest final 150 meters. In contrast, few came within striking distance of Igor Piovesan in the 45-49 bracket, as the Italian cruised to a winning time of 4:16.55.
Piovesan’s compatriot, Nicola Nisato, took the 40-44 age group by an even wider margin, clocking a 4:08.67 to seize gold while lowering the championship record. Brazil’s Eduardo Ferreira Sevieri headed the 35-39 division with a 4:17.46, fending off Felipe Maia (4:18.89) in the last 100 meters to seal the win.
Lithuania’s Edgaras Stura came out of the gates with the fastest initial 50, but Italy’s Matteo Montanari had a quick response. Holding his aggressive pace throughout the entire race, Montanari pulled away from the pack to post a final time of 4:04.17, dominating the 30-34 age group. Thailand’s Siwat Matangjapong tallied another gold in the 25-29 class, dropping a 4:05.35 to top off the event.
Women’s 400 Free
Australia’s Dorothy Dickey reestablished her monopoly on the 85-89 age group events, clocking an 8:45.85 in the women’s 400 free to clinch gold. Her compatriot, Denise Robertson, established her dominance in the 80-84 division, turning in a final time of 7:24.37 for the win.
The United States’ Aagje Adriana (7:42.17) topped the 75-79 bracket, holding on after setting an aggressive initial pace. Australia native, Tracy Clarkson, claimed a decisive win in the 70-74 age class, crashing the pads with a final time of 6:28.81.
Colombia’s Virgil Olano de Abuchaibe jumped to an early lead in the 65-69 division, surging through clean water to post a 6:09.77 for the win. Bonnie Lynn Spivey (5:09.84) followed up with another gold-medal-worthy performance, bettering Cheryl Young’s (5:30.11) mark by over 20 seconds.
Susanne Reibel-Oberle of Germany managed to maintain consistent speed throughout the race, building to a final time of 4:50.80 to top the 55-59 division. Her compatriot, Claudia Thielemann, adopted a similar strategy, holding pace to post a 4:48.34 for the win.
Great Britain’s Nicola Latty seized top honors in the 45-49 age division, surging home to a time of 4:53.55. Her compatriot, Ceri Edwards, emerged victoriously in the 40-44 category, dropping consistent splits for a final time of 4:41.61.
Maike Grosch of Germany traded leads with Carla Beckmann (4:54.41) in the 35-39 race, with Grosch gaining the ultimate say with her winning time of 4:53.35. Natthanan Junkrajang tallied another victory in the 30-34 age class, clocking a 4:23.98; while France’s Pauline Vanet (4:37.71) rounded out the event with a decisive win in the 25-29 class.
Men’s 50 Breast
Romania’s Emil Dan Stoenescu made his second appearance of the night in the men’s 90-94 age group 50 breast, clocking in at 1:31.81 for the championship title. Australia’s Patrick Galvin rounded out his schedule with one last gold, dropping a 51.05 to take top honors in the 85-89 division. His compatriot, Tony Goodwin, also finished on a high, taking the 80-84 bracket with a time of 43.87.
Hungary’s Gabor Somlai (41.69) reemerged on the scene with a winning performance in the 75-79 age group, putting over a second between himself and Japan’s Tsunehiko Sawamura (42.94). Australia’s Leon Bobako (38.32) took the blocks next, edging out Poland’s Jozef Klukowski (38.39) by a fingernail.
The next race proved to be another close one, as Australian Stuart Ellicott crashed the pads with a 33.75 to take the 65-69 age group win, bettering Pere Balcells Prat’s (33.92) mark by just 0.17. France’s Olivier Borios (33.94) managed to claim a more decisive win in the 60-64 category, posting the only time under :34 in the field.
After resetting the 200 breast championship record less than 24 hours prior, Carlo Travaini entered the final night of competition eager for more. In his final event of the meet, Travaini rewrote history, surging to a time of 30.39 to break his own 55-59 age group world record of 30.51.
Makoto Onodera took the next age bracket, as the Japanese breaststroke stalwart sprinted to a 31.53 for the 50-54 age division win. Russia’s Sergei Firichenko (30.00) was next, eclipsing the sub-30 mark but dropping a time worthy of the 45-49 age group win.
Japan’s Ryo Imai went out in record-breaking fashion, resetting the 40-44 age group championship record with a 29.04; while Geoff Wells of the United States took the 35-39 class with a time of 29.37.
The first man of the night under :29, Takuro Osaki of Japan proved he couldn’t be stopped, clocking a 28.85 for the 30-34 age group victory. Germany’s Marcel Hassemeier was the last man to grace the top step of the medal podium, seizing top honors in the 25-29 age group with a time of 28.88.
Women’s 50 Breast
Germany’s Ingrid Keusch-Renner established her dominance in the 85-89 division, clocking a 1:09.55 to start the women’s 50 breast. Another prominent name, Cy Egypto Mazoni Andrade (53.50) of Egypt, took the 80-84 class with the only time under 1:00.
Even after a grueling seven days of competition, Diane Maureen Ford of Great Britain appeared unfazed, locking down another gold in the 75-59 age group with a time of 46.72. Hungary’s Toth Magdolna put forth an aggressive final push of her own, tallying another win in the 70-74 category with a time of 46.13.
Ulrike Urbaniak topped off her schedule with a win in the 65-69 age group, as her time of 43.41 bettered the rest of the field by over a second. Norway’s Elin Knag (39.30) nabbed a similar decisive victory, posting the only time under :40 in the 60-64 age class.
Britain’s Hannah Ueckermann brought home another medal to the Witham Dolphins Swim Club, clocking a 40.87 in the 55-59 race. Japan’s Tomomi Miyanzo stepped up next, seizing a narrow victory over Singapore’s Jill Elizabeth Lutz (38.68) to finish at the top of the 50-54 age class.
Helen Gorman (34.58) headed the 45-49 race, surging ahead of two of her compatriots to drop the only time under :35. Portugal’s Isabel Figueira (33.46) went stroke for stroke with Smiljana Marinovic (33.93) of Croatia in the next bracket, gaining a slight advantage in the final 10 meters.
Spain’s Eider Fuentes followed up with a winning time of 34.05 in the 35-39 age group, taking down Cindy Ong (34.80) for top honors. Finland’s Suvi Pulkkinen stroked in at 33.51 for the 30-34 win, gaining a narrow advantage over Katharina Nuyen (33.60) of Germany. Anna Diago Miravet of Spain closed out the championships with a decisive victory in the 25-29 age category, turning in a time of 33.90.
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