Sprint News 1/15/13: Lasco Breaks Old Record; Dutch Star Retires; Meet Named for Dale Oen

We love when Meet Records go down at SwimSwam. Though they’re not always National, World, or even Regional records, they still carry a special significance. It means that the particular meet has turned a corner, a swimmer has done better under that very specific set of circumstances than anyone had before, and there can be no complaints about meet timing, weather, speed of the pool, etc. 11-year old Destin Lasco, who last year became the first 10 & under ever to break a minute in the 100 yard backstroke, took down a really, really old one this past weekend, however. At the Middle Atlantic Elite Championship at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology, Lasco broke the 11-12 Meet Record in the 100 yard back that was previously held by one Jeff Rouse from 1983 – 30 years ago. Lasco’s time was 57.12, taking down the old mark of 57.79. Rouse is an International Swimming Hall of Famer, and was the 1996 Olympic Champion in the same 100 back (albeit long course), and won three total golds from 1992-1996…

…Related to the above story, Destin Lasco and his coach Dimitar Petrov are now swimming for Pleasantville Aquatics after the Atlantic City Aquatic Club lost access to their training space. The city was intending to charge the team more than ten-times what it had been for pool use (around $85,000 as compared to $6,500)…

…According to Netherlands swimming website HollandSwimming.NL, Dutch star Job Kienhuis has retired from the sport. According to the site, he has cited a desire to pursue a social life and to also focus on his mechanical engineering degree in his decision. Kienhuis is only 23-years old and had huge promise as a middle-to-distance freestyler. His biggest international medal was a bronze at the 2010 European Short Course Championships in the 1500 and holds the Dutch National Records in both the 800 (7:51.92) and 1500 (14:58.34) in long course…

…The Bergen Swim Festival in Norway, which last year was cancelled after the tragic death of Norwegian swimming hero Alexander Dale Oen, this year has been renamed in his honor. In honor of their fallen friend and competitor, the two breaststroke Olympic Champions Cameron van der Burgh and Daniel Gyurta will both be at the meet that runs from April 19th-21st. Both swimmers dedicated their Olympic success to Dale Oen, including Gyurta presenting Dale Oen’s family with a replica of his 200 breaststroke gold medal…