14th Annual Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic
- October 14-16, 2022
- Orlando, Florida
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Day 1 Results
- Day 2 Results
- Day 3 Results
The 14th Annual Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic Meet saw 15 world and national records fall over the weekend of Oct. 14-16.
The unique short course meters competition returned to the historic Rosen Aquatic and Fitness Center in Orlando, Florida. U.S. Masters swimmers of any level – from beginner to elite – are welcome to celebrate fast swimming and camaraderie within the community.
76-year-old Diann Uustal of the Sarasota Sharks Masters took down a total of six world records at the competition, including three individual in the women’s 75-79 age group and three relays in the women’s 280-319 age group (combined ages of all four swimmers). In addition to the world marks, Uustal added three more national records.
She broke three American Records in the 50 back, 50 fly, and women’s 400 medley relay with her teammates June Carson (74), Nancy Kryka (67), and Sue Watts (68). Uustal made a split request for her lead-off on the 100 back leg and lowered her world record from last year’s edition of the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic.
Uustal set five other world records in the 50 free, 200 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, and 400 medley relay. Her 200 free record came from leading off the 800 free relay with the same squad. Uustal proved her sprinting dominance by cracking under the world record again in her lead-off on the 200 free relay. However, her time was three-tenths slower than her individual 50 free.
- 50 back national record: 40.02, Diann Uustal – 2022 / Former Record: 40.27, Diann Uustal – 2021
- 100 back world record: 1:26.40, Diann Uustal – 2022 / Former Record: 1:26.80, Diann Uustal – 2021
- 50 fly national record: 38.42, Diann Uustal – 2022 / Former Record: 44.18, Gail Roper – 2004
- 50 free world record: 34.04, Diann Uustal – 2022 / Former Record: 34.58, Christel Schulz – 2015
- 200 free world record: 2:51.46, Diann Uustal – 2022 / 2:51.65, Yoshiko Osaki – 2013
- 200 free relay world record: 2:20.64, Sarasota Sharks Masters – 2022 / Former Record: 2:25.32, Oregon Masters – 2022
- 400 free relay world record: 5:19.84, Sarasota Sharks Masters – 2022 / Former Record: 5:21.18, Netherlands PSV – 2022
- 800 free relay world record: 11:54.09, Sarasota Sharks Masters – 2022 / Former Record: 12:06.47, Netherlands PSV – 2019
- 400 medley relay national record: 6:22.47, Sarasota Sharks Masters – 2022 / Former Record: 6:28.36, Virginia Masters – 2020
Aside from the Sarasota Sharks women putting together impressive performances, Erika Braun, 50, of the North Carolina Masters team took down three 50-54 world and national records. She lowered her world record of 1:07.44 in the 100 IM, which she set in May at the 2022 Canadian Masters Swimming Championships, to 1:07.04. She lowered Leslie Livingston’s world record in the 50 fly from 29.25 to 29.14. Braun then broke Sue Walsh’s national record of 27.67 in the 50 free with a time of 26.73.
The third woman to break individual records that weekend was Kathleen Lewis, 70, of Team Pittsburgh. She lowered the 70-74 national record in the 100 breast to 1:36.05, which previously stood at 1:36.93 from Margot Pettijohn in 2016. Lewis also took down Joann Leilich’s 2011 national record of 44.22 in the 50 breast set with a new mark of 43.64.
Hailing from Florida, the Swim Melbourne Masters’ women’s 240-279 800 free relay (Kelly Parker Palace, Zena Courtney, Sally Dykstra, and Joan Wheeler) broke the world record of 10:25.22 with a time of 10:22.22. The previous record was held by the North Texas Lonestars (Kristin Henderson, Lynn Morrison, Heidi Ernst, and Jacki Hirsty) set in 2015.